SPENCE  LIBRARY 

Union  Theological  Seminary, 

RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA 

|rom  library  of  Dr. 
Russell  Qecil 


Alcove 


Case 


2 


Shelf 


JJ 


&IJ/1S1  ) 


L  <_ 


:  <lsC* 


■1/  /o  y/y/- 


// 


THE    HISTORY 


CLASS  OF  74, 


PRINCETON  COLLEGE, 


ALEX.  C.  CRAWFORD. 


H  A.RRISBURG: 

(HAS.  H.   BERGNER,   PUBLISHER. 

1875. 


To  the  Classmates,  who  were  kind  enough  to  bear 
with  my  procrastination  and  delay,  I  am  much  pleased 
to  dedicate  this  Retrospect. 


INTRODUCTION. 

Classmates: 

Uncalled  for  as  it  may  seem,  at  this  time,  it  becomes  the  duty  of 
your  historian  to  offer  an  apology;  an  apology,  too,  of  a  peculiarly 
earnest  and  deeply-meant  nature.  Not  like  that  one  over  which  Jakey 
Van  Deventer,  in  the  last  year  of  our  course,  spent  so  many  weary 
hours,  burnt  so  much  midnight  oil,  heaved  so  many  hollow  groans, 
and  in  the  study  of  which  he  became  60  meagre  looking.  Nor 
an  apology  like  Erne  Smith's,  in  Soph  year,  when  he  feelingly 
alleged  that  lemon-peels  were  the  cause  of  his  seeming  indisposition. 
Nor  yet  like  that  of  "Mose,"  alias  "H-i-1-l-o-w,"  who  on  the  occasion 
of  a  long  remembered  festivity  accounted  for  his  sudden  and  perma- 
nent retirement  from  the  company  by  the  remark  that  warm  water 
always  did  make  him  sick.  On  the  present  occasion  I  have  naught 
to  do  with  anything  so  trifling;  my  apology  is  directed  to  our  class, 
and  directly  affects  our  class  interests;  it  is  that  even  in  this  most 
serious  and  weighty  affair  of  history-writing  I  have  been  behind  time. 

Important  is  this  matter,  and,  according  to  our  rhetoric,  it  will 
bear  a  far  drawn  simile.  Bear  with  me  then  for  a  moment  while,  in 
justification,  I  explain  my  position. 

Thucydides,  as  you  remember,  wrote  the  war  of  the  Athenians 
with  the  Pelopenesians:  I  began  to  write  an  account  of  our  war  with 
Profs,  Tutors,  Sophs,  and  Snobs,  as  we  battled  one  with  another. 
Thucydides  began  with  the  account  of  his  in  its  incipiency,  believing 
that  it  would  be  the  greatest  and  best  that  had  ever  been  waged;  and 
so  did  I. 

And  thereby  hangs  a  tale,  together  with  the  marked  difference 
between  Thucydides  and  myself.  I  was,  in  Fresh  year,  too  much  im- 
pressed with  the  imaginative  in  writing;  I  began  with  too  much  in- 
cipiency, if  you  will  pardon  an  outlandish  term ;  I  anticipated  too 
many  events,  and  depicted  on  immortal  pages  the  deeds  of  my  illus- 
trious heroes  as  I  thought  they  would  be,  rather  than  as  they  were. 

Besides,  I  don't  think  Thucydides  improved  much  :  (this  antithe- 
sis you  can  fill  out  for  yourselves.)  He  sadly  lacked  early  training, 
and  in  consequence  his  writings  bear  no  striking  marks  of  progress  in 
composition,  as  vie  understand  composition.  His  style  is  so  ungrace- 
ful, his  words  so  "badly  spelt,  his  chirography  so  awkwardly  executed, 
his  manuscript  so  closely,  vide  Bohn,  folded  up,  and  the  whole  thing 
bears  such  a  faint  resemblance  to  Desdemona,  or  a  sunbeam,  reclining 
on  a  bank  of  violets.  I  am  convinced  from  all  internal  proofs,  that  it 
would  have  been  of  incalculable  advantage  to  him  to  have  been,  for 
at  least  four  years,  under  the  tuition  of  some  master  rhetorician  who 
had  written  books.  So  don't  you  see  the  difference,  the  marked  dis- 
tinction between  Thucydides  and  myself?  Though  we  both  wrote 
the  most  of  our  works,  figuratively  speaking,  in  Fresh  year,  the  taste 


HISTORY  OK  TIIK  CLASS  OF  74. 


of  one  was  Hie  poorer,  in  that  he  did  not  throw  his  manuscript  aside, 
as  the  other  did,  and  commence  with  a  clean,  though  meager,  record. 
If  any  one  might  ask  why  I  have  come  to  make  these  surmises, 
I  would  answer  that  out  of  mere,  and,  I  hope  pardonable,  curiosity, 
I  was  lead  to  compare  the  writings  of  the  Greek  Historian  with  those 
of  our  esteemed  classmates,  the  Senator  and  Nick,  and  so  great  was 
the  difference,  I  was  forced  to  believe  that  the  Greek  was  wanting  in 
solid  training.  I  may  add,  parenthetically,  that  the  resemblance  is 
only  one  of  style,  and  not  of  paraphrase  as  we  might  think  when 
scanning  the  productions  of  the  Trojan. 

But  a  truce  to  apologies  now.  We  are  assembled  on  an  occasion, 
classmates,  when  by-gone  things  should  be  forgotten,  and  justifications 
needless.  The  petty  feuds,  and  hostilities,  and  wranglings  of  our 
college  course,  the  mutual  shortcomings,  let  us  bury,  for  to-day  at 
least.  Let  memory,  her  step  impeded  by  no  halting  recollections, 
wander  back  o'er  the  past  four  years,  and  cull  sweet  blossoms,  fragrant 
and  dewy,  from  the  garden  of  our  retrospect.  Let  us  have  no  mourn- 
ful imaginings ;  no  miserable  pictures  of  faded  garlands  and  withered 
wreaths ;  no  cloud-swept  skies  and  howling  winds,  and  bitter,  cheer- 
less landscapes.  Let  us  banish  for  the  time,  if  they  will  rise  in  the 
next  hour  to  some  of  us,  all  morbid  musings  over  wasted  opportunities, 
all  despondent  sighs  over  "the  petty  done,  the  undone  vast." 

Let  remembrances  colored  only  with  sunshine,  let  gladness  and 
joyousness  reign  in  our  breasts  to-day.  If  our  sorrow  be  keen,  let  it 
be  the  sorrow  of  parting ;  and  may  our  kind  and  loving  friends,  who 
greet  us  to-day,  see  us  ready  to  forget  and  to  forgive,  to  take  the  goods 
the  gods  provide  us,  ready  to  do  as  we  must,  and  dare  if  need  be. 
Let  our  hearts  be  as  light  and  our  fancies  as  free  as  in  that  far  away 
time  when,  "in  the  golden  dream-dawn  of  the  autumn,"  we  entered 
Princeton  with  buoyant  hopes  and  bright  anticipations.  Four  happy 
years  in  Princeton ;  let  this  be  the  burden  of  our  thoughts. 

We  began  our  course  under  happy  auspices.  That  strong  de- 
fender of  the  right  who  had  come  across  the  ocean  to  help  us,  to  stil- 
us up  to  high  endeavor,  as  well  by  example  as  by  precept,  had  already 
made  his  beneficial  influence  felt  here,  and  around  us  and  stimulating 
us  were  the  traces  of  his  power,  that  one  who  has  done  so  much  for 
us,  to  whom  be  our  thanks  expressed.  That  valiant  Arthur,  under 
whose  instruction  and  by  whose  training  we  have  been  nerved  the 
better  to  battle  with  the  hosts  he  has  so  successfully  fought.  A  verita- 
ble hero  in  the  warfare  of  mind,  it  was  a  happy  day  for  Alma  Mater, 
when  he  volunteered  to  arm  her  sons  for  conquest.  Nor  could  we 
forget  the  kind  and  generous  friends  who  aided  him,  and  we  echoed 
their  praises,  loudly  proclaimed  by  our  fellow  collegians. 

Thus,  just  as  the  rising  sun  of  renewed  prosperity  was  tipping 
with  golden  light  the  spires  and  domes  of  this  dear  old  Princeton,  we 
entered  upon  our  new  career.  May  the  remembrance  of  the  good  old, 
times  be  as  pleasant  as  the  life  itself. 


RETROSPECT. 

CHAPTER  I. 

THE    15IRTH    OF   THE    TITAN. 

It  was  a  debatable  question  away  back  in  Freshman  year,  whether 
we  were  a  class  before  our  first  grand  convocation  in  the  old  recitation 
room  under  Geological  Hall.  Of  course,  we  had  been  in  College  some 
days;  our  throats  were  hoarse  with  repeated  cheers  for  74.  And  did 
you  ever  notice  how  Freshmen  will  cheer?  The  innocent  darlings 
don't  seem  to  think  they  can  be  collegians  without  individually  pro- 
posing and  joining  in  a  cheer.  You  can't  make  any  allusion  to  their 
class,  however  remote  or  indirect,  but  some  persons  must  give  vent 
to  their  pent  up  feelings.  And,  of  course,  we  were  like  all  the  rest. 
We  all  imagined  that  the  College  had  already  felt  our  power,  and 
that  in  one  short  week  we  had  stamped  lasting  imprints  of  our  genius 
on  Princeton's  thought  swept  shores,  and  therefore  were  we  proud  of 
ourselves.  We  were  individually,  undeniably,  and  without  the  shadow 
of  a  doubt,  incipient  Macauleys  and  undeveloped  Shakspeares ;  but 
we  had  not  coalesced.  We  were  not  emphatically  immense  in  intel- 
lect as  a  ma68 — we  were  not,  as  yet,  one  solid  phalanx  of  mind — we 
were  not  a  separate  and  distinct  class  of  philosophers,  sages,  and  rakes. 
All  the  elements  were  in  turmoil;  there  was  no  unity  until — but  I'll 
tell  you. 

As  I  have  said,  it  was  in  the  old  recitation  room  under  Geological 
Hall,  where  the  Titan  was  born.  As  might  have  been  expected  in 
the  production  to  life  of  such  a  giant,  the  birth-throes  were  terrific, 
but  not  painful;  everybody  present  screamed,  but  it  was  with  laugh- 
ter. Into  the  meeting  place  Ave  tumbled,  everything  in  confusion, 
and  we  hauled,  and  pulled,  and  shouted  in  an  ecstasy  of  excitement. 
We  had  none  of  the  cares  then,  which  afterward  assailed  us:  dismal 
forebodings  of  dread  conditions  and  angry  Profs,  faculty  summons, 
and  the  countless  ills  that  College  flesh  is  heir  to.  Then  we  were 
accustomed  to  act  Fresh,  which  meant,  enjoy  yourself.  "As  bees 
bizz  out  wi  angry  fyke,"  so  we  buzzed  in.  And  the  getting  in  was 
the  very  least  part  of  the  programme ;  one  could  hardly  stay  in,  and 
you  couldn't  keep  your  seat,  if  some  big  fellow  wanted  it.  Each  one 
had  something  to  say,  and  he  must  say  it  at  the  top  of  his  voice ;  the 
only  audience  one  could  command  was  himself,  and  those  within  a 
radius  of  two  feet,  who  were  not  blessed  with  lungs  so  powerful  as 
his  own. 

The  commotion  was  at  its  height,  when  a  majestic  voice  was 
heard  proclaiming  silence.  A  noble  form  towered  amid  the  noisy, 
surging  throng;  a  voice  fell  upon  our  ears  and  the  tumult  ceased. 
The  tones  of  that  orator  were  like  oil  upon  troubled  waters.     When 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF   '74. 


silence  was  induced,  he  made  a  speech.  Composition  is  expressionless 
and  in  no  way  adaptable  to  a  description  of  it.  Didn't  we  think  it 
fine!  Senator,  you  have  never, — though  your  triumphs  have  been 
great  and  your  trophies  many, — you  have  never  since  addressed  so 
enthusiastic  an  audience.  We,  to  whom  you  appeared  an  orator  most 
eloquent  even  then,  before  your  further  cultivation  in  forensic  art, 
considered  it  a  magnificent  effort.  And  how  mighty  and  broad  of 
scope  was  that  one  thought,  that  Ave  had  come  from  all  parts  of  the 
Union.  Senator,  that  was  the  most  splendid  thing  you  ever  said.  It 
set  us  to  yelling  in  such  pride  and  glee,  that  it  seemed  impossible  to 
make  us  stop.  The  idea  never  struck  us  in  all  its  grandeur  before. 
To  think  that  we  held  converse  with  persons  from  the  frozen  moun- 
tains of  Maine,  from  the  sunny  plains  of  Texas,  from  golden  California 
even,  and  then  to  think  that  Ave  Avere  all  in  one  class — and  such  a 
class!  No  Avonder  Ave  yelled.  And  Wiggins  talked  till  AVre  were  all 
too  hoarse  to  yell  any  longer ;  then  Ave  transacted  business.  We 
fought  over  each  one  of  the  officers ;  elected  a  committee  on  perma- 
nent organization,  Avith  the  dignity  of  an  august  body  of  statesmen 
proposing  to  found  a  neAV  and  lasting  empire ;  and  did  a  great  many 
foolish  things.  Among  the  Avitless  ones  Avas  that  of  appointing 
Sponsler  to  draAV  up  the  class  stamp.  We  might  have  knoAvn  Avhat 
kind  of  thing  Billy  would  give  us  ;  Jim  Scarlet  could  have  beaten  him. 
The  next  time  we  came  together,  Billy  presented  to  us  for  inspection 
the  most  remarkable  combination  of  crescents,  turnips,  and  stars,  you 
can  imagine.  It  bore  the  evident  marks  of  originality,  and  Ave  took 
it  for  this,  and  because,  being  perfection,  anything  done  by  a  mem- 
ber of  that  illustrious  body  must  be  surpassingly  excellent. 

Around  the  room  Avere  many  faces  aftenvard  dearly  familiar. 
There  sat  Bradford,  in  whose  aristocratic  lineaments  could  be  plainly 
traced  a  noble  descent;  whose  veins  were  throbbing  Avith  blood  of 
genuine  purple :  Avhose  delicately  modulated  voice  clearly  gave  evi- 
dence of  peerless  culture  ;  the  personification  of  heraldic  mysticism,  to 
Avhose  (k)nightly  proAvess  the  snobs  could  abundantly  testify.  At 
that  time  no  one  knew  of  his  giant  virtues  ;  the  hero  of  the  cane-spree  ; 
the  original  and  only  masticator  of  Big  Devlin ;  requiescat  in  pace. 
Braddy  did  some  good  things  during  his  short  term  with  us.  Among 
others  Avas  that  of  taking  doAvn  Jai's  enormous  pride  of  family,  by 
proving  conclusively  that  he  could  not  have  descended  from  the  house 
of  Stuart.  Jai  never  fully  recovered  from  the  blow.  Don't  you  re- 
member Iioav  talented  Braddy  Avas ?  What  a  pity  Ave  lost  him.  Be- 
sides his  muscular  abilities,  I  have  his  OAvn  word  for  saying,  that  in 
the  first  session  of  Fresh  year  he  took  in  the  "first  ten,"  and  the  next 
session  the  faculty  refused  to  alloAV  so  prodigious  a  thinker  to  stay 
among  us !     Strange  about  that  faculty. 

AAvay  down  on  the  front  bench,  sat  Jimmy  Scarlet.  But  at  that 
time,  Simon  had  not  received  his  varied  honors ;  then  he  Avasn't  ex- 
captain  of  the  foot-ball  twenty,  nor  chairman  of  the  photo-committee. 
But  you  could  tell  by  looking  at  him,  that  he  Avould  become  notable. 
Yes,  his  countenance  early  gave  promise  of  great  intelligence  and 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


attainments ;  we  were  actually  forced  to  believe  he  would  be  great 
among  us.  How  he  has  since  exceeded  even  our  most  ardent  expee 
tations,  our  highest,  fondest,  proudest  hopes  !  No  one  dreamed  at 
the  time  of  which  I  am  writing,  of  that,  as  yet  concealed,  trenchant 
blade  of  sarcasm,  afterward  so  skillfully  wielded ;  no  one  had  even 
the  faintest  conception  that,  in  the  future,  lie  was  to  be  annihilated, 
confused,  struck  dumb,  by  those  carefully  concealed  jokes,  in  many 
instances  unsolvable,  save  by  himself,  and  on  that  account  the  more 
mind  paralyzing. 

Freddy  Williamson  wasn't  nearly  so  tall  then  as  he  is  now.  Yan 
Deventer  wasn't  a  professional  runner,  nor  Atherton  a  gymnast  in  those 
days.  Old  Dampy  was  with  us  then,  poor  unfortunate  fellow ;  he 
was  the  most  genial,  mirth-loving,  good-hearted  among  my  heroes.  I 
remember  that  on  this  occassion  some  wandering  Soph  appeared  at 
the  window.  Dampy  was  the  first  to  spy  him  and  the  first  to  greet 
him  with  one  of  his  ferocious  yells,  a  "  git-e-out "  and  a  lump  of  coal. 
Bennett  tried  to  make  a  speech  and  ingloriously  broke  down.  Billy 
Westervelt  did  not  attempt  to  show  off  his  oratorical  abilities,  but  he 
yelled  whenever  he  could  get  a  chance,  and  stayed  on  benches  as  long 
as  he  could,  to  see  and  be  seen.  Duke  Robinson  then  favored  us  with 
his  presence ;  and  Eden  and  Forman  and  a  whole  host  of  worthies 
whom  we  afterward  missed.  And  perched  on  the  top  bench  was  the 
presiding  genius  of  all  the  noise  and  mischief,  our  lamented  friend 
John  L.  Manning  Irby,  with  the  proverbial  dirty  shirt — collarless  and 
cufiiess.  With  his  characteristic  pertinacity  he  had  succeeded  in  be- 
coming acquainted  with  almost  the  whole  class ;  and  the  manner  of 
bringing  his  acquaintances  to  its  notice  was  novel  and  interesting. 
"  You,  Wiggins,  sit  down  dar,  else  I  chuck  a  lump  ob  coal  at  youah 
head,"  many  of  such  pleasing  and  impressive  remarks  serving  to  make 
him  conspicuous. 

We  elected  the  following  officers,  and  adjourned:  J.  P.  Egbert, 
President;  J.  S.  Riggs,  Vice  President;  E.  M.  Deems,  Secretary;  J. 
T.  Stuart,  Treasurer. 


CHAPTER  n. 

WHICH    VEKTAINS    TO    EPICURES. 


Seventy-four,  in  the  early  part  of  her  existence,  and,  indeed,  for 
some  time  after  that  notable  event,  possessed  a  set  of  the  most  hun- 
gry, ravenous,  gormandizing  Freshmen,  that  ever  stole  chickens.  Al- 
most every  night  about  nine  or  ten  o'clock,  some  crowd  would  sally 
forth,  provided  amply  with  bags,  for  apples  or  any  other  more  accepta- 
ble provender  chance  might  throw  in  their  way.  Had  the  "  Ben  "  of 
our  nursery  experience  attempted  to  compete  in  gastronomic  feats 
with  them,  I  firmly  believe  he  would  have  suffered  a  final  and  igno 
minious  defeat, 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OK  '74. 


One  party  had  their  headquarters  in  the  -west  end  of  North  Col- 
lege and  were  presided  over  by  an  exceedingly  selfish  senior,  who 
never  did  any  work  himself  and  always  ate  twice  as  much  as  any  other 
one.  His  acquaintance  with  the  surrounding  country  was  simply 
marvellous ;  he  always  knew  of  some  available  hen-roost,  peach 
orchard  or  melon  patch,  most  easy  of  access  ;  and,  about  three  nights 
in  the  week,  would  gently  hint  at  the  pleasant  time  a  nice  party  could 
have  if  some  chickens  were  roasted,  and  a  few  other  good  things 
made  ready.  After  raising  the  minds  of  our  classmates  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  excitement,  as  well  by  the  accounts  of  the  splendid  fun  of  a 
four  or  five  mile  tramp  through  the  dark,  when  everything  was  quiet, 
and  they  would  have  immense  enjoyment,  as  by  the  glowing  pictures 
of  an  excellent  feast;  he  would  intimate  that  they  were  just  the  boys 
to  undertake  an  expedition  of  this  kind ;  brave  fellows,  you  know, 
not  afraid  of  dogs  or  anything  of  that  kind  ;  good  walkers  and  fond 
of  a  walk  ;  and  then,  with  a  slap  on  the  back,  thoroughly  good  fel- 
lows, such  as  he  would  like  to  enjoy  an  evening  with  above  all  others. 
There  was,  of  course,  not  the  least  necessity  of  his  going  along,  be- 
cause he  could  point  out  the  place  so  well  they  couldn't  miss  it ;  and 
then  he  always  felt  slightly  indisposed.  If  no  one  else  would  under- 
take the  journey,  off  he  would  go  to  Bennett  and  Bergy,  and  they 
could  always  be  induced.  The  compact  agreed  to,  the  senior  to  kin- 
dle the  fire  and  cook  the  birds,  and  the  rest  of  the  company  to  fur- 
nish— ,  well,  the  lemonade,  off  Charles  Henry  and  the  Lord  would 
start,  and  after  wandering  over  the  half  of  Jersey,  running  "  most 
disastrous  chances,"  escaping  "moving  accidents  by  flood  and  field," 
they  would  return  tired  and  hungry,  only  to  find  that  no  fire  had  been 
kindled,  and  that  the  senior,  having  greedily  made  away  with  all  the 
lemonade  furnished,  was  in  a  state  of  most  "profound  coma."  After 
waiting  for  the  birds  to  be  cooked  in  town,  they  would  pass  the  eve- 
ning in  much  jollity. 

So  passed  night  after  night  with  our  friends  in  17  North.  Now 
turn  we  to  another  deputation  after  eatables,  which  was  not  so  suc- 
cessful as  that  before  mentioned. 

These  youths  started  one  night,  with  pillow  cases,  and  pantaloons 
tied  at  the  ends,  and  all  the  paraphernalia  necessary  to  ease  one  of  the 
law-abiding  citizens  of  our  quiet  borough  of  a  few  apples.  I  have 
always  been  inclined  to  think  that  the  originator,  the  chief  argonaut 
of  this  expedition,  was  Bobby,  who  roomed  with  Buchanan,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  he  always  looked  so  decidedly  innocent.  Bobby 
was  lively  in  Fresh  year,  though  you  wouldn't  think  it  now. 

Whoever  was  the  leader,  some  of  the  informed  betrayed  the  trust 
reposed  in  them,  and  let  out  the  secret  prior  to  starting.  The  news 
of  their  intent  coming  to  the  ears  of  the  God-sprung  Bradford,  the 
idea  of  a  counter-plot  entered  his  fertile  brain.  Assembling  a  select 
crowd,  he,  with  them,  repaired  to  this  garden  of  Hesperides,  and 
placed  his  allies  in  positions  suitable  for  observing  the  actions  of  the 
marauders.  Long  and  anxiously  they  waited.  It  was  a  beautiful 
night,  the  air  was  soft  and  balmy,  all  nature  was  huslied  in  repose. 


IIISTOKY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  0 

except  the  insects  of  night — Jersey  insects  of  night — and  no  sound 
broke  the  stillness  save  their  droned  soothing  cries,  etc.,  etc.  (vide  our 
Soph,  essay  on  the  Beauties  of  Nature.)  Who  can  tell  what  were  the 
thoughts  coursing  through  the  brains  of  each  waiting  one.  How 
many  times  may  the  name  of  that  sweet  little  girl  have  been  softly 
breathed — for  Freshmen  have  sweet  little  girls — ask  Winans  and 
Neese  if  they  haven't;  and  although  it  was  autumn,  these  "young 
men's  fancies  lightly  turned  to  thoughts  of  love."  How  many  matri- 
monial projects  may  have  been  considered  your  historian  has  never 
correctly  been  informed.  But,  ah  !  Judge,  and  you,  Nick,  many  would 
have  been  the  contest  speeches  written  that  night  to  your  discomfiture, 
had  not  their  reverie  been  broken  in  upon  by  the  advance  of  their 
class-mates. 

"Say,  fellows,"  whispered  Robert,  in  a  voice  exceedingly  broken 
and  husky  with  rising  fears,  "I  wonder  if  he  keeps  a  dog?" 

"I  don't  know,"  was  the  trembling,  scarcely  audible  response 
from  Kit. 

In  that  moment,  when  they  pondered  the  weighty  question,  their 
thoughts  must  have  been  awful.  How  terrible  to  be  mangled  and 
lacerated  by  some  fierce  canine.  And  the  thought  was  new  to  Braddy 
and  his  listening  gang;  they  became  justly  alarmed  for  their  own 
safety.  Jersey  curs  have  remarkably  keen  scent  sometimes,  as  your 
historian  can  testify  ;  one  caught  him  up  a  tree  once  ;  but  I  wont  tell 
you  about  that ;  ask  Jake,  or  Buck,  or  Berg,  for  particulars. 

"What  shall  we  do  if  one  comes  out?"  Another  interval  of 
silence. 

"  I  know,"  said  a  voice,  ominously  significant  of  some  dire  resolve. 

"  What,"  the  eager  question, 

"  We'll  kill  the  brute" — (a  terrible  accent  on  the  kill.) 

Awfully  sublime  conception.  Nevin,  the  ubiquitous  "  little  bird 
told  me"  you  were  there,  and  I  knew  no  brain  but  yours  could  have 
evolved  the  solution ;  for  didn't  I  see  you  try  to  steal  that  fire  engine, 
and  how  brave  you  were. 

Taking  courage  in  the  belief  that  they  were  under  the  guidance 
of  one  worthy  to  command,  over  the  fence  they  got,  and  into  a  ditch. 
There  was  no  cussing,  for  they  were  too  nervous  to  cuss;  but  they 
did  call  down  maledictions  on  all  ditch  inventors,  and  they  set  up  a 
most  terrible  whining. 

"Hush,"  said  the  poetic  Gordon, 

"A  word,  a  breath  too  loud, 

"Might  start  from  its  horrent  pause  the  swooping  death." 

"Cheese  it,"  said  practical,  mathematical  Bluch,  "let  us  get 
apples." 

Off  came  their  coats;  to  work  they  went;  tilled  the  pillow  cases, 
and  were  preparing  for  a  homeward  start,  when  the  crack  of  a  revolver 
rang  out  on  the  still  air,  and — they  left  the  pillow  cases.  To  say  our 
fruit-gatherers  ran,  would  but  feebly  express  their  rate  of  locomotion. 


10  HISTORY  OF  THF  CLASS  OF  '74. 


They  were  gone.  With  laugh  and  jest,  party  No.  1  seated  them- 
selves on  the  fence  to  rest,  after  gathering  up  the  fruit,  and  reviewed 
the  circumstances,  utterly  oblivious  of  the  fact  that  they  had  made  a 
considerable  deal  of  noise.  They  were  soon  painfully  sensible  of  the 
fact,  by  the  bark  of  a  dog  and  the  sudden  appearance  on  the  scene  of 
farmer,  wife  and  a  most  motley  collection  of  small  vagabonds.  A 
second  stampede  was  the  result.  Lugging  the  bags  with  them,  they 
evaded  the  pursuit,  and  wearily  wended  their  way  to  College.  After 
a  tiresome  tramp,  and  aching  from  the  exertion  of  carrying  the  bags, 
they  reached  their  rooms,  and  determined  on  obtaining  some  benefit 
from  their  night's  work,  opened  the  bags,  when  out  rolled  from  each 
bag,  on  an  average,  one  peck  of  stones,  a  corresponding  percentage 
of  potatoes,  and  about  seven  apples.  They  said  they  enjoyed  the 
occasion. 

N.  B.  Some  two  weeks  after  the  occurrence  narrated  above,  I 
chanced  to  hear  a  conversation  between  a  citizen  of  Princeton  and  a 
worthy  tiller  of  the  soil,  living  in  the  vicinity  of  Kingston.  The  latter 
gentleman,  in  the  course  of  his  remarks,  said,  with  that  merry  twinkle 
in  the  eye  and  in  that  jovial  voice  which  we  have  all  noted  as  apper- 
taining to  agriculturists  in  this  section  of  the  country,  that  he  was 
never  a  firm  believer  in  spirits  ("spukes,"  he  called  them),  but  that 
not  long  before  some  kindly  elves  (he  didn't  call  them  that ;  he  said 
some  kind  of  college  students)  had  kindly  deigned  to  leave  in  his 
orchard  garments  of  which  his  children  stood  much  in  need.  And, 
he  added,  that  these  elves  must  have  been  jovial,  merry,  roistering 
fairies,  for  he  certainly  smelt  gin  and  water. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    71.  1  1 


CHAPTER  in. 

OUR    FRESH    YEAR    CROAVD    AND    TIMES. 

Before  we  pursue  our  review  further,  let  us  go  back  and  get 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  our  former  selves  if  we  can.  Let  me  hold 
up  some  sort  of  a  retrospective  mirror,  and  let  us  look  at  ourselves  as 
we  were  during  the  first  months  of  College  life. 

How  boyish  we  all  looked  then  !  and  some,  who  have  since  grown 
quite  handsome,  at  that  time  looked  positively  heathenish.  Look  at 
Stevens  and  Apollo  Belvedere  now.  You  ought  to  have  seen  them 
in  Fresh  year ! 

What  little  pap-fed,  nursery-bred,  to-be-cared-for-at-home  creatures 
the  most  of  us  were,  to  be  sure,  and  how  four  years  have  changed  us. 
Mind  clashed  against  mind,  as  against  the  steel  the  flint,  and  there 
was,  of  necessity,  a  spark.  Some  had  had  bitter  experiences ;  the 
world  had  been  their  training  school.  They  had  all  through  their 
young  lives  breasted  the  blows  of  circumstance,  and  grappled  with 
their  evil  stars  right  nobly.  Self-taught,  strengthened,  toughened, 
mentally  as  well  as  physically,  they  entered  into  the  race  with  their 
more  fortunate  classmates,  and  exerted  a  most  beneficial  influence  upon 
them.  I  cannot  say,  that  when  Greek  met  Persian  the  latter  had  the 
advantage. 

But  rich  or  poor,  disciplined  in  schools  or  self-taught,  we  all  met 
now  on  a  ground  of  equality.  We  were  a  small  intellectual  democracy  ; 
those  guided  to  whom  their  classmates  accorded  prominence  and  honor 
for  mental  abilities.  It  was  some  time  ere  any  one  went  to  the  fore. 
In  the  beginning,  as  I  have  said,  we  were  all  incipient  Macauleys,  un- 
fledged Shakspeares,  bantam  Bacons.  There  were  no  heights  so  high 
we  did  not  all  mean  to  climb  ;  no  depths  so  profound  we  all  did  not 
propose  to  investigate.  Whatever  the  subject,  our  purpose  was  to 
master  it.  I  scarcely  think  all  succeeded  in  their  laudable  undertaking. 
Happy  those  to  whom  with  genius  Providence  gave  application. 

Don't  you  remember  what  a  time  we  had  deciding  on  our  honor- 
men  ?  and  what  a  number  we  would  have  had,  had  not  fate,  as  repre- 
sented by  the  faculty,  stepped  in  and  cut  out  some  aspiring  souls. 
Besides,  almost  each  one's  destining  himself  for  that  honorable  posi- 
tion, he  had  a  little  circle  of  friends  who,  recognizing  their  own  claims, 
were  yet  willing  to  stake  their  all  on  his  chances.  Pretty  nearly  every 
one  had  this  feeling,  I  think.  Now,  I  don't  believe,  for  example,  that 
the  gentleman  from  Perry  county,  Pa.,  ever  thought  he  would  be  success- 
ful ;-in  Greek  he  was  not  so  proficient  as  in  later  days  when  he  trans- 
lated Hesiod,  and  wrote  out  the  Philosophy  of  the  Greek  Verb. 
Altogether,  his  mental  development  as  regards  the  evo,  was  not  so 
extensive  then  as  afterwards. 


12  HISTORY  OF  THE  (LASS  OF    74. 


Bennett,  I  know,  was  sure  of  success  ;  hadn't  he  been  over  the 
entire  subject  at  Lafayette,  and  wasn't  he  a  whole  year  ahead  of  us 
in  mental  training?  There  was  scarcely  a  shadow  of  a  doubt  in  his 
mind.  On  the  other  hand  I  don't  think  John  L.  Manning  Irby  felt  at 
all  positive  on  this  point,  and  even  Erne  regarded  it  dubiously.  There 
were  some  then  who  did  not  aspire  to  first,  but  they  all  would  take  high. 
Then  there  were  a  few  disdainful,  scornful  fellows  who  didn't 
want  any  honors,  whose  splendid  mental  powers  and  natural  intellectual 
activities  would  easily  give  them  anything,  to  whom  the  whole  cata- 
logue of  scholastic  dignities  were  offered  as  easy  prizes,  but  who  pre- 
ferred to  leave  these  emblems  of  drudgery  and  rewards  of  days  without 
fun  and  nights  without  dissipation  to  the  poor  plodders  whose  slavish 
devotion  to  irksome  duty  "really,  you  know,  deserves  some  encour- 
agement." So  they  ate,  drank,  and  were  merry  and  next  day  they 
didn't  die,  though  they  felt  like  it,  but  took  cocktails  and  prided  them- 
selves on  the  superiority  of  their  natures. 

We  were  a  queer  class.  There  were  among  us  more  good,  honest,  h  ard 
workers  and  more  lazy,  frolicsome  idlers,  and  withal  more  genial  good- 
hearted  fellows  than  could  have  been  conceived  of.  Now  among  the 
hard  workers  we  might  name  Gros.  and  Jake  Walker  and  Billy  Smith. 
My,  how  those  fellows  studied  !  I  daily  expected,  with  trembling, 
that  softening  of  the  brain  or  some  such  terrible  disease  would  afflict 
them ;  why  any  night,  when  going  across  the  campus  one  might  see 
long  rays  of  light  streaming  out  from  their  rooms,  typical,  as  I  often 
used  to  think  when  in  contemplative  moods,  of  the  light  of  truth 
which  one  day  should  emanate  from  themselves  ;  and  one  might  see 
these  lights  far  into  the  night,  too  ;  they  must  have  been  studying  ; 
no  fellow  would  sit  up  so  late  for  nothing  and  besides  one  cotild  tell 
they  wTorked  by  the  way  they  recited  ;  many  a  commend  and  remark 
did  they  call  forth  in  recitation  room. 

On  the  other  hand,  among  those  who  were  proverbially  negligent, 
were  John  Keid,  Ledwith,  and,  in  senior  year,  Crothers.  Pap  used  to 
let  his  hair  be  uncombed,  and  buy  lots  of  books  and  rush  to  recitation 
in  a  hurry,  but  he  never  could  make  us  believe  he  was  a  hard  student. 
This  crowd  of  fellows  were  sad  reprobates  ;  they  went  to  bed  early, 
and  were  always  up  before  any  one  else  plotting  mischief.  They  slept 
pretty  nearly  all  the  time.  They  were  always  out  playing  ball  or 
walking  round  in  study  hours.  No  dependence  could  be  placed  in 
them.  I  have  often  known  Professors,  in  a  fit  of  angry  sarcasm,  to 
give  them  a  grade  of  one  hundred.  They  used  to  talk  a  good  deal 
about  their  duties  ;  but  we  all  knew  that  amounted  to  nothing. 

Of  the  genial  good  hearted  fellows,  let  me  see  how  many  I  can 
name.  Of  course,  I  can't  make  any  invidious  distinctions  in  regard 
to  years,  and  must  go  through  the  whole  four ;  well  let  me  begin — 
Atherton,  Badeau,  Bates,  Beach,  Bennett,  Bergner,  &c,  vide  the  rolls 
of  our  four  years.  We  were  all  generous,  kind,  a  little  thoughtless, 
perhaps,  at  times,  but  all  good  fellows. 

Classmates  have  said  to  me  "but  we  were  awful  fresh  then." 
Fresh,  of  course  Ave  were  fresh.     Who  the  deuce  wants  to  be  a  Fresh- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  13 


man  unless  lie  is  fresh.  And  besides  all  the  upper  classes  made  arbi- 
trary rules  of  their  own  about  this  freshness.  If  we  hit  a  Sophomore 
with  a  snowball,  Sophy  thought  it  was  exceedingly  verdant,  and  a 
smiling  Junior  thought  it  good  fun ;  but  if  J.  was  in  the  way  of  the 
said  snowball,  and  Sophy  could  laugh,  the  feelings  incident  to  the  oc- 
casion Avere  reversed  in  the  minds  of  each. 

Didn't  we  have  as  much  right  to  run  the  foot-ball  down  toward 
South  Campus  as  any  one  else  in  the  game  ?  Then  why  growl  at  us 
more  than  others.  We  were  schoolboys  yet,  scarcely  full-fleged  colic 
gians,  and  we  reasoned  that  if  dignity  meant  lack  of  healthy  enjoy- 
ment, dignity  could  go  to  the  dogs.  So  the  more  other  classes 
growled  in  playing  foot-ball,  so  much  the  more  persistently  did  Ave 
endeavor  to  get  the  smaller  members  of  those  classes  near  the  College 
building,  and  push  them  against  the  wall. 

I  think  the  freshest  crowd  in  the  class  used  to  congregate  at  the 
house  of  a  worthy  lady  near  Dickinson  Hall.  These  were  Jake  V. 
D,  and  Jake  W.,  Dave.,  Fred.,  Jai  and  Berg.  They  always  seemed 
to  forget  to  assume  the  august  demeanor  of  Freshmen  ;  and  they 
played  catcher,  hide-and-go-seek,  and  such  childish  games  all  over  the 
old  lady's  garden.  They  pulled  up  the  plants,  and  trod  down  the 
vines  and  trampled  on  the  beds  and  behaved  scandalously  in  general. 
I  remember  on  one  night  they  attempted  to  put  the  author  of  these 
pages  over  the  fence  ;  they  did  it,  I  assure  you,  to  the  great  detriment 
of  a  pair  of  pantaloons,  and  the  demolition  of  one  fence-panel.  In 
the  house,  whither  they  retired  from  the  garden,  beds  were  disordered, 
carpets  torn,  furniture  smashed,  one  bed  in  particular,  which  Jake 
spent  half  the  night  fixing  up.  We  boxed  and  fenced  and  never 
studied. 

Fresh  year  formed  our  characters.  The  friends  chosen  then, 
with  but  few  exceptions,  remained  true  to  their  first  loves  all  through 
our  college  course.  The  cliques  originated  then,  were  never  dismem- 
bered. The  thoughts  and  actions  of  those  earlier  times  left  a  deep 
and  abiding  imprint  on  after  days.  The  Fresh  year  workers  were 
the  honormen  of  Senior  year ;  the  gay  frolics  of  Senior  year  had  for 
their  supporters  and  attendants  those  whose  laugh  was  loudest,  and 
whose  song  most  merry  in  the  quieter  "spreads"  of  Fresh  year.  Some 
of  those  whose  hearts  beat  most  warmly  toward  each  other,  whose 
faces  lit  up  at  the  approach,  whose  thoughts,  aims,  aspirations  were 
one,  did  not  find  themselves  congenial  in  Fresh  year,  and  waited  until 
a  year  had  developed  their  minds  and  made  them  more  fit  compan- 
ions. In  Soph  year  were  formed  some  of  those  lasting  ties,  which 
knit  splendid  genius  to  dazzling  wit,  warm  hearts  and  hard-clasping 
hands.  For  example,  Buchanan  and  Judge  Avere  distinguished  for 
community  of  interest,  and  Judge  Avas  forced  to  be  alone  in  Fresh 
year,  because  Buck  was  not  there.  Sister  Avent  lonely  and  forsaken 
until  she  found  her  Jerry.  Billy  Sponsler  and  Jim  Riggs  roamed 
long  apart  through  the  pleasant  paths  of  knoAvledge. 

There  was  a  royal  family  in  the  class  in  Fresh  year — a  genuine 
royal  family,  comprising  the  best  blue  blood  of  the  class.     I  believe 


14  HISTORY  OF  TIIIO  CLASS  OF  '74. 

the  only  man,  who  laid  any  claim  to  noble  ancestry,  whose  name  was 
not  enrolled  among  these  notables,  was  Billy  Westervelt ;  but,  you 
know,  the  fellows  did  not  know  of  Billy's  family  until  long  afterward. 
Billy  was  so  reticent,  and  modest,  and  retiring,  in  his  disposition. 
Besides,  I  don't  think  Billy  would  have  liked  the  company ;  they 
were  too  studious  for  him ;  they  couldn't  afford  to  sit  up  night  after 
night  to  hear  Judge  read  grandiloquent  essays  ;  they  didn't  have  the 
time. 

This  Royal  family  numbered  among  its  members  a  Stuart,  an 
O'Hara,  the  illustrious  Bradford  (a  host  in  himself),  Bergy,  and  many 
other  worthies.  They  were  wont  to  assemble  in  the  room  of  the 
Duke,  and  spend  their  time  debating  on  the  fates  of  empire,  the 
awakening  of  "the  powers  of  iron."  They  poured  over  the  records 
of  antiquity ;  their  conversations  Avere  interpolated  with  brilliant 
flashes  of  wit,  and  quotations  culled  from  the  choicest  gardens  of 
classic  lore,  and  they  showed  a  most  astounding  acquaintance  with 
biblical  proper  names.  The  fall  of  the  Bourbons  was  always  a  sub- 
ject of  great  mourning  with  them,  and  often  did  they  have  to  deplore 
said  fall  (especially  when  it  fell  off  the  table  and  broke). 

They  used  to  wander  in  the  silent  hours  of  the  night,  communing 
with  the  stars  and  trilling  sweet  harmonious  ditties  to  the  Availing 
moon.  With  economic  Avisdom  they  furnished  light  Avork  to  the 
laboring  classes  in  divers  manners,  such  as  the  demolition  of  any 
street  lamp  disgustingly  bright,  or  any  fence  unseemly  in  appearance. 
One  night  they  Avent  to  a  Senior's  room,  those  daring  Freshmen,  for 
the  purpose  of  perpetrating  upon  him  some  of  our  well  known  jokes. 

P "bit"  at  Jai's  story,  and  the  R.  F.  suddenly  left,  followed  down 

stairs  by  tAVO  plaster  casts  of  Shakspeare  and  Milton,  which  never 
more  adorned  the  room  of  the  aforesaid  Senior. 

They  went  out  one  night — three  of  them — and  shortly  Ben- 
nett returned  in  a  sad  state  of  mind,  having  lost  his  associates.  After 
much  search  they  Avere  found  at  the  gymnasium  ;  one  on  his  back,  the 
better  to  gaze  on  the  placid  beauty  of  the  heavens  ;  the  other  on  the 
steps,  in  rising  from  which  he  experienced  more  trouble  than  he  cared 
to  take,  and  on  which  he  found  it  impossible  to  assume  the  recumbent 
position  evidently  so  much  enjoyed  by  the  astronomical  Duke.  This 
Avas  on  one  of  the  nights  Avhen  they  had  been  affected  by  the  descent 
of  the  aforementioned  branch  of  French  nobility,  and  the  particular 
night  on  Avhich  a  nameless  Sophomore  Avas  to  have  been  executed. 
Poor  Cooney !  They  sometimes  Avere  tyrannical  in  the  manner  of 
supplying  their  larder  by  the  chickens  and  eggs  of  the  poor. 

Altogether,  our  Fresh  year  croAvd  comprised  some  of  the  jolliest, 
freest,  best-hearted  felloAvs  to  be  met  Avith  anyAvhere,  and  our  Fresh 
year  times  were  among  the  most  enjoyable  Ave  experienced.  Of  course 
Ave  squabbled  occasionally,  but  on  the  Avhole  we  preserved  a  charming 
equanimity  of  temper  and  aim.  We  had  a  fight  once,  between  the 
class  and  the  nine,  and  many  lengthy  harangues  Avere  delivered,  and 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  74.  15 

much  nonsensical  business  entered  into  quite  seriously.  The  nine 
split  from  the  class.  I  have  a  long  account  of  it,  written  in  the  anger 
of  the  moment,  which  is  positively  ridiculous. 

I  can't  pass  over  our  earlier  history  without  reminding  you  that 
Bergner  was  the  first  man  called  up,  and  the  first  to  say  "not  prepared." 
I  shall  never  forget  the  look  of  virtuous  indignation  which  stole  over 
the  countenances  of  our  first  division  men  as  those  disgraceful  words 
were  uttered,  and  how  Bergy  blushed.  How  many  of  us  have  since 
gone  and  done  likewise,  and  were  too  much  hardened  to  blush. 


16  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    DUEL. 

And  a  million  horrible  bellowing  echoes  bi*oke 
From  the  reel-ribbed  hollow  behind  the  wood, 
And  thundered  up  into  Heaven  the  Christless  code, 
That  must  have  a  life  for  a  blow. 

Though  in  the  majority  of  cases,  peaceably  inclined,  I  regret  to 
say  that  on  some  occasions  my  heroes  gave  vent,  full  swing,  to  their 
angry  passions  in  a  way  by  no  means  commendable.  We  sometimes 
forgot  that  time-honored  quatrain,  which  has  so  often  been  quoted  to 
our  precious  little  selves,  and  so  often  forgotten. 

We  possessed,  among  our  other  curiosities,  several  earnest  devo- 
tees of  that  exceedingly  unsatisfactory  way  of  settling  difficulties,  the 
duello.  At  least,  one  would  have  imagined  them  advocates  from  their 
language.  One  of  these  was  the  afore-mentioned  Bradford,  the  fire 
eater,  the  gentleman  whose  adoration  of  bull-pups  was  only  equaled 
by  his  pride  of  birth.  Gordon  was  another,  and  that  brilliant  scion 
of  Southern  chivalry,  John  L.  Manning  Irby,  was  another. 

There  came  a  time  in  Fresh  year,  when  an  incident  occurred 
which  gave  these  monsters  a  chance  to  exercise  their  blood  loving 
propensities.  The  incident  was  a  quarrel  and  these  were  the  circum- 
stances thereof. 

It  was  a  "hall  night."  You  know,  we  all  went  to  hall  in  Fresh 
year;  went  regularly,  and  were  wealthy.  On  this  night  quite  a  crowd 
of  74sters  were  pouring  into  the  door  of  Whig,  and  in  this  crowd 
were  Frishmuth  and  Irby.  Some  one  hit  the  former  with  a  stick. 
The  stick  had  thorns  in  it,  and  the  thorns  hurt.  Frishmuth  said  Irby 
hit  him ;  Irby  said  he  didn't. 

"You  did." 

"  I  didn't ;"  and  quite  an  animated  conversation  was  carried  on, 
composed  principally  of  such  brilliant  repartee  as  the  above. 

The  striking  ceased  and  was  resumed.  Again  these  distinguished 
wits  tossed  the  ball  of  sarcasm  backward  and  forward,  to  the  delight 
and  admiration  of  all  bystanders,  until  Irby,  by  an  "I  didn't"  more 
emphatic  than  ever,  exasperated  the  mind  of  the  impetuous  Frishmuth, 
who  replied  by  calling  the  wrarm-blooded  Southerner  a  liar. 

This  was  too  much.  O!  It  was  too  much.  Irby  brooded  over 
the  insult;  his  soul  revolted  against  the  idea  of  endurance.  The 
warm  current  of  his  life  became  hotter  as  he  thought,  and  soon  began 
to  boil.  He  went  to  his  room  and  penned  with  unshaking  hand  the 
following  epistle,  which  Gordon  undertook  to  deliver  to  Frishmuth : 

"Mr.  Frishmuth:— In  consideration  of  the  exceedingly  indecorous  and 
opprobrious  language  used  by  you  toward  me,  language  unbecoming  to  yon, 
sir,  and  derogatory  to  my  character  as  a  gentleman,  I  hereby,  through  my 
friend,  II.  H.  Gordon,  challenge  you  to  mortal  combat;  time,  place  and  wea- 
pons (<>  l>c  decided  upon  by  our  respective  seconds. 

".JOHN  L.  MANNING  IRBY." 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  17 


Frishmuth,  not  without  fear  and  trembling,  received  the  epistle. 
He  read  danger,  and  possible  death,  in  Gordon's  kindling  eye.  He 
opened  it  as  though  he  expected  to  find  some  explosive  machine, 
which  the  dread  ingenuity  of  the  direful  Sophs  had  devised  as  a  new 
species  of  torture  and  torment.  If  he  was  frightened  at  the  imagina- 
tion, what  can  we  say  of  his  feelings  as  he  learned  what  was  to  actually 
happen? 

As  he  read  his  cheek  blanched.  The  awful  consequences  of  a 
rashly  spoken  word  flashed  upon  him.  A  cold  and  lifeless — ugh  !  lie 
shuddered  at  the  thought.  He  could  not,  he  would  not  light.  All 
the  best  principles  of  his  nature,  deep-rooted  in  early  childhood,  and 
growing  stronger  with  each  succeeding  year,  were  averse  to  such  an 
action.  Suppose  anything  was  to  happen.  Suppose  he  should  kill 
Irby,  or  Irby  should  kill  him.  Suppose  they  should  even  hurt  each 
other  a  little  bit,  why,  the  agonies  he  would  undergo  from  the  gnaw- 
ings  of  conscience  would  be  infinitely  worse  than  the  sufferings  of 
the  damned.  Thus  Frish.  and  he  got  really  eloquent  under  the  excite- 
ment of  the  moment. 

Gordon  listened  to  his  ravings  with  that  lofty  condescension,  and 
knowledge  of  superiority  and  power,  with  which  a  Princeton  waiter 
regards  the  long-suffering,  patient  inquirer  after  something  besides 
mutton  and  roast-beef  Accustomed  to  these  affairs  of  honor  from 
his  childhood  (as  he  said,)  he  Avas  mystified  for  a  while  at  Frish's  lack 
of  bravery.  He  looked  at  him  as  the  eagle  gazes  at  the  bleating  land), 
upon  which  it  is  about  to  swoop.    Noble  bird  of  prey  !    Poor  little  lamb ! 

"  Well,  sir,  what  answer  shall  I  return  to  my  friend  ?  Shall  I  tell 
him  you  propose  to  act  the  man,  or — or — or  the  mouse?"  Gordon  was 
oftentimes  at  a  loss  how  to  end  his  sentences  ;  this  one  was  alliterative, 
and  pleased  him. 

"Tell  him,"  said  Frish.,  eagerly,  "tell  him  to  wait  till  I  ask  Brad- 
ford."    So  they  separated. 

Frish.  couldn't  have  made  a  worse  choice  of  an  adviser.  Brad- 
ford proclaimed  himself  for  war. 

Accordingly,  reluctantly  on  the  principal's  part,  an  answer  was 
sent  accepting  the  challenge.  Potter's  woods  was  announced  as  (lie 
place ;  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  hour;  the  weapons,  pistol?. 

But  in  the  meantime  the  ardor  of  our  friend  Irby  had  been  chilled. 
The  thought  of  having  his  growing  and  flourishing,  not  to  say  cleanly, 
flower  of  existence  nipped  in  the  bud,  or  rather  blown  off  the  stein 
was  not  consoling  nor  according  to  his  taste.  There  seemed  to  be 
many  things  which  lie  detested,  for  example  many  persons,  judging 
from  appearances,  thought  him  averse  to  watering  the  said  flower — 
but  this  thing  on  reflection  he  concluded  to  be  unendurable.  With 
many  words  of  contrition  did  he  represent  the  case  to  Gordon.  With 
as  finely  tragic  an  expression  of  countenance  as  the  crooked  condition 
of  his  necktie  and  the  rumpled  appearance  of  his  shirt  would  permit, 
did  he  expatiate  on  the  enormity  of  the  deed  and  the  terrible  fate 
which  his  opponent  was  to  suffer.     Indeed  he  showed  himself  extremely 


HISTORY  OF  TIIK  CLASS  OF  '74. 


unselfish,  and  largely  considerate  of  the  welfare  of  that  misguided 
youth,  Frishmuth. 

But  all  his  glowing  appeals,  all  his  wonderful  contortions  of 
countenance,  expressive,  as  might  be  imagined,  of  deep  commiseration 
and  anguish  of  soul  were  posed  by  the  question,  "  How  can  you  get 
out  of  it?"  This  was  too  much  for  his  overstrained  mind,  and,  though 
generally  extremely  quick  in  the  perception  of  evasions,  he  was  stuck. 
The  question  demanded  some  time  for  consideration  ;  lie  left  the  room 
dolefully.  Gordon  remained  delightedly.  His  face  was  radiant  with 
secret  satisfaction  ;  occasionally  a  deep  guffaw  proclaimed  more  clearly 
that  something  was  very  enjoyable.    He  took  a  pipe  and  laughed  more. 

Soon  there  came  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  Bradford's  finely 
chiseled  features  appeared,  and  then  they  laughed  together.  Let  us 
listen  to  them  and  strive  to  comprehend  the  joke. 

"  Aren't  they  scared,"  said  Braddy. 

"Aren't  they  though,"  was  Gordon's  tautological  rejoinder.  And 
again  they  laughed  in  concert ;  laughed  well-nigh  villainously,  while 
without  the  wind  sighed,  and  the  branches  cracked,  and  the  rain 
dropped  drearily  as  though  nature  was  mourning  the  consummation 
of  their  plot. 

At  Gordon's  request  Bradford  unfolded  how  the  trembling  Irby 
had  besought  him  most  agonizingly  to  bring  about  some  amicable  ad- 
justment of  the  difficulties ;  how  he  had  sturdily  refused  to  try  any- 
thing of  the  kind,  and  how,  as  soon  as  Irby  had  disconsolately  with- 
drawn to  discuss  the  affair  with  Erae  and  Simp,  he  had  hastened  to 
Gordon  to  laugh  over  the  joke,  and  as  if  reminded  that  joys  were 
transient  and  the  fun  would  soon  be  over  they  enjoyed  the  affair  again. 

"Have  you  the  cartridges  ready ?"  said  Gordon  when  his  mirth 
had  somewhat  subsided. 

"  Yes,  I  fixed  them  just  now." 

"Are  you  quite  sure  the  bullets  are  extracted?" 

"Of  course  I  am.     You  don't  suppose  I  want  to  get  in  a  scrape  !" 

"Do  you  think  they'll  notice  any  change?" 

"No,  indeed;  they'll  be  too  badly  scared  to  know  whether  they 
hold  pistols  or  sticks  in  their  hands." 

They  chuckled  in  fiendish  delight,  and  the  arrangements  of  a 
mock  fight  having  thus  been  satisfactorily  arranged,  the  conversation 
turned  to  subjects  most  near  the  thoughts  of  each.  Bradford's  duel ; 
his  numerous  and  splendid  stock  of  dogs,  and  especially  that  big  one 
which  whipped  the  Gypsey. 

The  night  wore  on  and  Bradford  left.  But  some  time  afterward 
when  he  sa*t  in  his  room  contemplating  a  picture  of  Heenan  ;  feeling 
his  muscle,  and  thinking  of  heraldry  ;  a  white,  scared,  sleepless  face 
peered  in  at  the  door,  and  exclaiming  "  his  blood  be  upon  your  head," 
disappeared  in  the  darkness. 

The  morning  of  Saturday  was  damp  and  cheerless,  and  as  we 
took  our  way  to  the  woods  the  weather  was  not  blessed. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    71.  ]!» 


Those  acquainted  with  the  joke  to  be  perpetrated,  indulged  in 
sundry  mysterious  winks,  and  low,  delighted  chuckles,  while  the  un- 
wary principals  locked  gloomy  and  nervous  as  they  walked  along 
with  their  several  friends.  To  them  the  way,  no  doubt,  seemed  short 
enough ;  but  we,  whom  no  care  disturbed,  thought  the  mud  disagree- 
able and  the  woods  an  interminable  distance  away.  In  one  party 
there  were  Frishmuth,  Bradford  and  Hamel ;  in  the  other  Irby,  Gor- 
don, Erne  and  Simp,  while  between  them  flitted,  like  an  angel  of 
peace,  the  fair  form  of  yours  humbly.  , 

After  many  flounderings  in  mire  and  creeping  along  fences,  we 
arrived  at  the  woods.  The  ground  was  soon  selected,  the  combatants 
placed  back  to  back  and  instructed.  They  were  each  to  walk  ten 
paces,  at  the  word  "one"  to  turn,  at  the  word  "two"  to  raise  their 
pistols,  and  "three,"  fire.  The  scene  was  dismal  enough;  the  ground 
was  covered  with  a  wet  snow ;  the  trees,  dripping  with  dampness  in 
the  air,  tossed  their  branches  creakingly  and  complainingly ;  the 
sky  was  dull  and  leaden.  We  all  got  behind  trees  and  laughed  and 
shivered. 

Sundry  doubts  and  misgivings  as  to  a  pleasant  ending  of  this 
farce,  now  began  to  float  through  the  mind  of  your  historian.  Stories, 
which  I  thought  forgotten,  of  bloody-minded  persons  who,  having 
been  induced  to  join  in  just  such  scenes,  had  unobserved  changed  a 
genuine  cartridge  for  the  sham  one  in  their  pistol,  and  with  dread  in- 
tent to  commit  murder,  had  foully  and  feloniously  discharged  the  con- 
tents of  the  same  into  the  body  of  the  unsuspecting  gentleman  of  the 
opposition.  But  all  such  fears  were  removed  when  our  classmates 
began  to  measure  their  ground.  Though  short  of  stature,  they  man- 
aged to  get  in  strides  which  even  Wallace  would  have  envied, 
and  in  ten  paces  put  such  a  considerable  piece  of  ground  between 
them,  as  effectually  removed  from  my  mind  all  misgivings  as  to  con- 
sequences. Each  firmly  believing  that  the  pistol  of  the  other  had  a 
ball  in  it,  determined  to  get  out  of  the  road,  if  possible.  Slowly 
Bradford  went  over  the  directions.  Hamel  approached  Frishmuth  in 
the  character  of  friend,  to  bear  his  last  words  home,  to  a  circle  of  sor- 
rowing relatives, — and  Erne  did  the  same  kind  offices  for  Irby.  Irby 
told  Erne  that,  if  he  was  shot,  he  must  send  home  the  cheering  and 
comforting  assurance  that  he  fell  nobly  battling  for  Southern  honor, 
with  the  true  Southern  spirit,  and  in  the  true  Southern  style.  Erne 
promised  compliance,  and  walked  back  to  his  tree,  not  so  sorrowfully 
as  might  have  been  supposed.  Frishmuth  was  about  to  repeat  the 
same  thing,  substituting  Northern  for  Southern;  but,  perhaps,  think- 
ing that  we  bystanders" would  not  let  them  shoot  at  each  other,  and, 
in  that  event,  not  desiring  to  appear  like  a  fool,  he  suddenly  turned 
on  Hamel  with  the  polite  request,  to  "go  to  the  devil,"  coupled  with 
a  denial  that  he  had  any  parting  words.  Hamel  did  not  look  gloomy 
when  he  got  behind  his  tree. 

The  decisive  moment  arrived  ;  Bradford's  voice  sounded  low  and 
husky,  "one;"  they  wheeled,  and  Irby's  pistol  came  up. 


20  HISTORY  OK  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


"Put  that  pistol  down,"  thundered  Bradford;  "a  breach  of 
etiquette  like  that,  in  an  affair  of  honor  like  this,  demands  a  stern 
rebuke ;  had  I  a  pistol  here,  sir,  I  would  not  hesitate  to  shoot  you 
down,  sir." 

It  is  needless  to  say,  the  pistol  came  down  ;  and  Frish's  face 
lighted  up,  as  though  he  thought  the  circumstance  an  omen  of  success. 

"Two."     Up  came  the  pistols. 

"Three."  A  report  rang  out — one  report.  John  ducked  his 
head,  and  reserved  his  fire ;  then  straightening  himself  up,  he  took 
deliberate  aim  at  poor  Frish's  cardiac  region,  fairly  causing  the  blood 
of  that  worthy  to  congeal,  and  altogether  infusing  into  him  so  much 
alarm,  that  he  looked  ready  to  faint.  Irby  fired,  and  his  opponent 
did  decidedly  more  than  duck  his  head — lie  squirmed  and  dodged 
most  visibly. 

After  this  interchange  of  courtesies,  they  stood  regarding  each 
other  with  looks  in  which  the  benign  greatly  predominated  over  the 
malevolent. 

Bradford  approached  and  desired  to  know  if  they  were  satisfied  ; 
"'cause,  if  you  aint,  you  can  take  another  shot,  you  know." 

"  Oh,  no  !  they  were  perfectly  satisfied." 

Would  they  shake  hands  ? 

Nothing  would  afford  them  such  extreme  pleasure. 

So  they  shook  hands,  and  talked,  and  laughed,  and  joked  with 
one  another  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner.  The  walk  back  to  College 
was  enlivened  by  a  recital  of  their  feelings  and  impressions. 

Irby,  in  reply  to  a  question  of  Frishmuth  as  to  whether  he  heard 
his  bullet,  replied,  "oh!  yes,  I  heard  it  cut  the  leaves  above  my  head." 

"  Yes,"  responded  Frish,  "  I  thought  I  fired  low,"  and  pondered 
over  the  discrepancy  between  Irby's  sensation,  and  his  own  recollec- 
tion of  his  aim. 

Irby  excitedly  appealed  to  the  crowd  to  know  if  they  didn't  sec 
his  bullet  hit  the  ground  at  Frishmuth's  feet. 

"A  line  shot,  boys  ;  yes  sirree,  a  line  shot !  " 

Afterwards,  when  told  of  the  real  truth  of  the  matter,  they  both 
declared  they  knew  of  it  all  the  time.  That  was  what  made  them  act 
so  bravely. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  (LASS  OF  '74.  21 


CHAPTER  V. 

TRENTON,    HO! 

It  was  a  time  of  religious  excitement  in  Princeton,  among  our 
orthodox  brethren  of  the  Methodist  persuasion.  A  spirit  of  intense 
and  fervent  shouting  had  settled  upon  them.  Protracted  meetings 
were  nightly  held.  It  was  in  the  time  of  winter,  and  the  rural  inhab- 
itants of  this  portion  of  the  land  of  the  mosquito  drove  to  church  in 
exceedingly  commodious  sleighs.  So  they  had  done  on  the  night  whose 
incidents  I  am  chronicling. 

Four  boys — four  very  bad  boys — were  walking  down  street, 
taking  the  air,  when,  arriving  at  the  church,  a  comfortable  looking 
sleigh  was  seen  drawn  up  alongside  the  pavement.  It  was  a  most 
inviting,  cosy,  commodious  looking  sleigh,  with  one  of  those  enormous 
backs  which  would  defy  the  constructive  ingenuity  of  a  modern  builder. 
And  hitched  to  the  sleigh  was  a  nice,  fat,  fine  team  of  horses,  champ- 
ing the  bit  and  pawing  the  ground,  impatient  of  restraint. 

These  four  bad  boys,  Groes,  and  Neff,  and  Comegys,  and  Bergy, 
stopped  and  looked  at  the  team,  gazed  thoughtfully  and  musingly. 
Visions  of  Trenton  danced  in  their  several  heads,  visions  of  billiards, 
and  supper,  hot  supper,  and  punches,  and  girls,  and  flirtations,  etc. 

They  thought  of  the  moonlight  ride,  of  the  jolly  time,  but  they 
never  thought  of  the  fact  that  somebody  owned  the  sleigh;  never 
recurred  to  them  the  knowledge  of  there  being  a  law  in  the  land  pro- 
hibiting the  purloining  of  goods  and  chattels ;  never  realized  that  a 
Jersey  "farmer  is  a  most  inveterate  pursuer,  and  that  none  was  more 
likely  to  "pant  on  their  track  and  dog  them  down."  Some  such 
thoughts  as  these  might  have  come  to  them  had  enough  time  been  let 
them  to  consider,  but  Comegys  broke  the  silence  and  interrupted 
their  thoughts. 

'•  Comrades,  ye  whose  spirits  are  tried  in  mischief,  I  know,  why 
halt  Ave  now?  See  you  yon  shining  moon,  illuminating,  causing  to 
sparkle,  the  breast  of  this  smooth,  bright  snow.  Think  you  of  the 
pleasures  which  await  us ;  the  frolic,  the  excitement,  if  we  but  seize 
the  opportunity  and — this  sleigh."  I  don't  know  if  those  were  his 
exact  words:  I  don't  believe  he  knows  himself.  §  They  are  something- 
like  them.     Berg  knows. 

No  sombre  shadows  overcame  the  bright  visions,  as  Henney  would 
say,  and  they  cautiously  climbed  into  the  sleigh.  A  crack  of  the  whip,  a 
jingling  of  the  bells,  a  rustle  and  creak  of  the  hard  beaten  snow,  and 
the  mockers  at  religious  rites,  and  the  stealers  of  sleighs,  were  speed- 
ing down  the  Trenton  road. 

They  stopped  at  the  "  Nassaii^'^IIouse'Jong  enough  to  be  provi- 
sioned by  George  and  went  on.  I  need  not  describe  the  incidents  of 
the  ride,  since  I  only  want  to  describe  in  a  few  words  our  share  in  the 
misfortunes  of  a  member  of  '72.     I  will  only  say  that  they  arrived  at 


22  IIISTOKY   OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '7-4. 


Lawrencevillc,  waked  up  both  schools  by  their  hideous  screeching, 
supposed  to  be  singing,  went  on,  and  went  to  sleep.  Past  all  the  old 
familiar  landmarks  they  went ;  got  wakened  up,  and  reached  Trenton. 
Through  the  streets  they  dashed.  Many  of  ns  know  the  pleasant  ex- 
periences. 

Policemen  looked,  laughed,  and  resumed  their  walk,  from  which  it 
will  appear  they  were  not  so  unfortunate  as  some  of  our  proteges  in  '76. 
Fair  maidens  gazed  timidly  from  behind  rich,  warm,  comfortable  look- 
ing curtains,  and  a  delightful  tremor  ran  though  their  dear  little  hearts 
as  they  thought  of  those  darling  students. 

Paterfamilias  recalled  his  own  joyfully  remembered  days  of  boy- 
hood, and  cried  "God  bless  them,"  and  Materfarnilias  thought  of  her 
own  boy,  and  echoed  the  prayer.  But  change  the  theme,  your  Histo- 
rian grows  sentimental;  this  isn't  imaginative.  Wikofftold  me  that's 
the  way  they  said  they  felt.     His  girl  told  him. 

The  boys  upset ;  regained  their  places,  and  started  home  again, 
bethinking  them  of  Princeton  and  duties.  When  the  College  was 
reached,  after  a  short  consultation,  it  was  decided  to  drive  up  to  the 
back  of  East  and  unhitch.  Done  according  to  agreement :  then  how 
to  dispose  of  the  horses  was  the  question.  It  was  concluded  to  tie  one 
of  them  to  the  door  of  a  worthy  Junior,  afflicted  with  near-sightedness, 
and  blessed  with  a  wide-spread  reputation  for  rectitude.  This  was 
likewise  accomplished,  and  the  bad  boys  retired. 

A  pen  gifted  with  the  art  of  narrative  composition,  which  I  do 
not  possess,  has  recorded,  how  Freddy  was  out  late  that  night.  How 
he  came  home  and  thought  it  was  Pat,  of  our  class,  who  was  at  the 
door ;  how  he  entreated  Pat  in  gentle  tones  at  first,  and  then  in  angry 
expostulation,  to  get  out  of  the  way  and  let  him  in  ;  how  he  hit  at 
what  he  supposed  to  be  Pat,  and  how  the  horse,  which  wasn't  Pat, 
laid  him  over.  How  just  then  the  Sheriff  appeared  on  the  scene,  and 
wanted  to  arrest  Freddy  for  horse  stealing  ;  how  Freddy  indignantly 
denied  the  allegation;  how  he  floored  the yjosse  comitates  with  the 
question,  if  they  supposed  him  such  a  fool  as  to  tie  a  stolen  horse 
to  his  own  door  ;  how  he  ended  by  daring  them  to  arrest  him  on 
College  grounds. 

I  am  writing  of  our  class.  The  originators  of  the  mischief  cut 
up  the  sleigh-bells  and  retired  to  their  rooms.  But  the  sleigh-bells 
jingled,  and  like  the  spot  of  blood  on  Fatima's  key,  the  circumstantial 
evidence  was  made  conclusive.  Luckily  for  them,  the  owner  of  the 
vehicle  was  merciful ;  they  bought  him  a  new  set  of  bells,  and  the 
affair  was  hushed,  only  to  be  called  up  now. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  23 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  EXAMINATION  PAPEKS. 

We  had  a  real  argonautic  expedition,  except  that  the  participa- 
tors did  not  sail,  but  walked,  and  that  it  was  in  search  of  a  more  useful 
commodity  than  the  golden  fleece.  If  any  of  the  more  virtuous  in 
our  class  are  inclined  to  look  with  extreme  disapprobation  on  the  affair 
told  here,  let  them  turn  their  thoughts  inward  and  while  blessing 
Providence  for  their  own  splendid  talents,  look  with  christian  charity 
and  forbearance  on  those  less  gifted.  Let  them  thank  their  guardian 
star  that  on  account  of  their  quality  of  perseverance  they  never  were 
led  to  dread  Fresh  examinations.  Fresh  examinations  !  how  terrible 
was  the  thought  to  us  !  Don't  you  remember  we  didn't  know  where 
to  go  to :  we  didn't  know  whether  lead-pencils  would  be  provided, 
indeed  I  could  name  several  who  took  in  their  own  paper,  and  found 
the  plan  so  advantageous  that  they  continued  the  practice  throughout 
their  College  course.  If  these  things  are  thought  on,  I  think  we  will 
look  more  leniently  on  those  concerned  in  this  plot. 

The  boys,  some  of  them,  had  been  idle — very  idle.  They  hadn't 
studied — they  had  spreed  all  the  time.  And  the  day  of  retribution 
was  at  hand.  Examinations  were  approaching  and  the  cutters,  and 
not-prepared  unfortunates  thought  with  dismay  of  those  many,  many 
pages  of  Latin,  and  Greek,  and  Mathematics,  and  Prose  Composition, 
which  their  wiser  class-mates  had  been  assiduously  "  polling,"  while 
they  had  been  enjoying  themselves.  In  many  rooms  the  subject  was 
profoundly  discussed.  They  came  together,  and  the  question  anxiously 
propounded  was,  what  was  to  be  done  ?  Night  after  night  this  select 
coterie  discussed  the  subject  earnestly.  Different  plans  were  proposed 
and  abandoned  as  indefeasible.  Finally,  some  daring  soul  proposed 
the  theft  of  the  examination  papers.  The  proposal  was  so  bold  as  to 
be  frightful  at  first.  Steal  the  examination  papers  !  Phew,  what  an 
idea !  But,  when  the  novelty  of  it  wore  away,  it  was  decided  to  be 
just  the  thing,  and  a  vote  of  thanks  tendered  to  the  mover.  Then 
the  question  before  this  secret  conclave  was,  how  to  get  at  them. 
Were  they  in  the  printing  office,  or  in  the  tutors'  rooms  ? 

They  separated,  and  on  the  next  night  some  wavered  in  their 
convictions  as  to  the  obtaining  the  papers.  They  demurred  to  the 
proposition,  to  break  open  both  the  printing  office  and  the  rooms  of 
the  tutors.  It  smacked  too  much  of  robbery,  and  they  had  a  whole 
some  dread  of  jails  and  penitentiaries.  Much  had  been  said  on  both 
sides,  when  up  rose  Ilendy  and  thus  held  forth: 

"Fellows,  away  with  doubts  and  misgivings.  Shall  we  rest  idly 
here,  and  allow  our  fair  names  and  good  grades  to  be  taken  from  us, 
when  by  one  masterly  stroke  the  day  and  examination  papers  may  be 
outs'?  Blasted  be  the  fair  name  of  our  glorious  class ;  perished  our 
bright   dreams    of  collegiate    renown;   cursed   ourselves,    if  we   suffer 


24  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OK  '74. 

this  opportunity  to  pass."  Then,  with  a  majestic  wave  of  his  hand  in 
the  direction  of  the  printing  office, — "Fellows,  yonder  lie  "rowls,"the 
examination  papers,  and  good  grades.  Let  our  watch  word  be  'Victory, 
or  Westminster  Abbey'." 

It  is  doubtful  how  much  longer  Jake  would  have  continued,  had 
not  the  aspiring  flame  of  his  eloquence  been  suddenly  quenched  by 
his  head  being  wrapped  in  Bennett's  proverbially  dirty  bed-quilt, 
But  Jake  carried  his  point,  and  it  was  unanimously  agreed,  that  the 
printing  office  should  be  stormed  that  night. 

About  12  or  1  o'clock,  a  chosen  band  assembled  before  that  mag- 
nificent structure,  containing  the  Archimedean  lever  Avhich  moves, 
though  slowly,  the  mighty  world  of  Princeton. 

It  was  an  awful  night, 

"The  wind  blew  as  twad  blawn  its  last, 
The  rattling  show'rs  rose  on  the  blast." 

It  would  not  have  called  for  more  than  ordinary  observation  on 
the  part  of  any  by-stander,  to  convince  him,  that  something  monstrous 
was  being  attempted.  They  bore  all  the  marks  of  guilty  persons  out 
after  night,  in  story  books.  They  spoke  in  whispers ;  they  shivered 
and  drew  closer  together  at  every  rustle  of  the  trees  above  them. 
They  looked  wistfully  up  at  the  windows,  and  wished  for  a  ladder  to 
scale  the  height.  Three  were  appointed  to  procure  one,  that  number 
beinw  considered  sufficient.  But  these  three  could  not  go.  The 
safety  of  the  entire  party  demanded  that  they  should  give  up  the 
pleasures  which  such  a  trip  would  give  them,  for  they  were  so  very 
unlucky ;  they  were  sure  to  be  caught.  Besides,  they  had  come  out 
to  steal  examination  papers.  Ladders  were  a  different  sort  of  thing, 
with  which  they  had  no  desire  to  meddle.  They  sorrowfully,  but 
forcibly,  resigned  in  favor  of  the  other  three.  Jake  Hendrickson  was 
of  the  other  three,  and  Jake  jocosely  held  forth  :  showing  conclusively 
that,  for  his  conscience  sake,  he  must  beg  to  be  excused.  Steal  a 
ladder!  He  was  the  son  of  honest  parents,  and  his  deep  respect  for 
those  aged  relatives  would  preclude  the  possibility  of  his  doing  any 
such  a  thing.  Steal  a  ladder !  He  had  always  been  led  to  consider  a 
ladder  as  something  especially  sacred,  from  the  time  when  his  illus- 
trious namesake  saw  one,  not  in  such  disreputable  repute  as  was  pur- 
posed in  the  present  case ;  and,  besides,  because  when  Boaz  wanted 
to  speak  to  Ruth,  he  lad-her  aside.* 

After  much  parley  they  all  went  together.  In  unity  they  found 
both  strength  and  courage,  and  truly  they  needed  all  they  could  mus- 
ter. The  ladder  was  heavy  and  Avet ;  no  one  wanted  to  carry  it  till 
two  proposed  themselves,  and  were  joyfully  accepted.  On  the  way 
to  the  office  the  ladder  was  dropped,  and  mashed  toes,  and  was  stum- 
bled over  times  without  number.  Don't  you  give  them  credit  for 
perseverance  ?     If  not,  this  record  of  their  trials  is  in  vain. 

The  ladder  was  raised  to  the  window,  and  was  found  to  be  too 
short  by  several  feet.     Jake  volunteered  to  go  up,  as  he  was  the  longest 

♦That  ]okc  belongs  exclusively  to  Jai  Stuart.    He  says  somebody  told  him  that  Jake 
perpetrated  it,  but  l  have  always  been  inclined  to  believe  it  is  one  of  .Tai's  own  best  efforts. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  74.  25 

and  had  every  chance  of  getting  in  easier  than  anybody  else,  So  up  he 
went.  He  reached  the  top,  he  hoisted  the  window  and  peered  in, 
when  a  scurry  on  the  floor,  a  rustling  among  papers  scared  him  so  that 
he  accomplished  the  distance  to  the  ground  in  an  incredibly  short 
space  of  time,  and  rushed  around  the  corner  followed  by  the  five. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?"  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Something's  up  there,"  said  Jake  frightened  'most  to  death. 

They  listened,  but  no  one  yelled  thieves  or  murder,  and  all  was 
still  as  death  above  them. 

"What  was  it?" 

"  I  don't  know;  I  didn't  see  it,  but  I  think  it  had  a  pistol." 

"  Pshaw,"  said  Charles  Henry,  "  It  was  rats,  and  rats  don't  carry 
pistols." 

But  Hendy  couldn't  be  persuaded  until  they  had  listened  for  along 
time,  and  until  each  one  had  decided  the  noise  was  caused  by  rats, 
when  he  again  tried  the  window.  He  listened  ;  there  was  no  sound  ; 
the  fellows  below  held  their  breath.  They  didn't  feel  quite  sure  it 
was  a  rat,  and  it  would  be  dreadful  to  have  one  of  their  number 
caught  at  the  outset  of  the  undertaking,  so  they  looked  up  in  silence. 
Hendy  drew  himself  up  on  the  window  and  balanced  himself  for  a 
moment,  like  Neese  used  to  try  to  do  on  the  horizontal  bars.  He  was 
just  about  halfway  in,  when  suddenly  down  came  the  window  right 
across  the  body  of  our  unfortunate  class-mate.  A  flash  of  lightning 
revealed  to  the  eyes  of  those  below  a  pair  of  extensive  legs  waving 
to  and  fro,  and  kicking  energetically  in  -a  vain  endeavor  to  find  some 
foothold;  at  the  same  time  Jake's  musical  tenor  sounded  disconsolately 
from  the  interior  of  the  building  imploring  gaspingly  for  assistance. 
Charles  Henry  went  up  and  relieved  Jake  from  his  position. 

"Are  you  much  hurt?"  Berg  asked,  when  he  could  get  a  chance 
between  fits  of  laughter. 

"  All  the-breath-knocked-out-of-me.     It-might-have-killed-me." 

Berg  assured  him  that  his  life  was  not  in  imminent  danger,  and 
descended  to  be  out  of  the  road,  in  case  any  devil  might  be  lurking 
within. 

Nothing  was  heard  from  Jake  for  some  time,  when  "  a  voice  fell 
like  a  falling  star,"  and  if  a  veritable  star  had  fallen  into  their  midst  it 
could  not  have  spread  more  consternation  and  dismay  through  the 
group  than  did  these  words:  "Boys,"  O!  how  mournful  was  the 
tone,  "boys,  they  are  not  here." 

The  scene  which  follows  beggars  description.  Pretty  nearly 
every  one  swore.  The  longest  winded  fellow  was  king  or  director  of 
the  chorus,  and  all  joined  in  with  him.  A  whole  night  wasted  for 
nothing.  Not  a  thing  to  show  for  the  immense  deal  of  trouble.  No 
wonder  they  were  disheartened  and  raved  round  like  a  party  of 
maniacs.  They  stamped  on  the  ground,  and  impugned  the  characters 
of  all  printers  and  tutors,  and  of  their  ancestors  for  generations  back. 
But  though  their  ardor  was  considerably  damped,  they  did  not  despair. 
I  am  writing  a  story  book,  and  like  all  good  little  boys,  all  nice  little 
heroes  in  story-books,  they  determined  to  try,  try  again. 


26  HISTORY  OP  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


They  were  up  bright  and  early  next  morning.  They  attended 
chapel,  cut  recitation,  and  repaired  to  Sam  Loose's  room,  right  opposite 
Turner's,  to  talk  over  the  dangers  and  jokes  of  the  preceding  night, 
and  to  lay  their  plans.  Not  much  time  was  to  be  lost.  Turner  was 
in  recitation,  and  it  was  decided  to  enter  his  room  at  once.  They 
picked  the  lock,  and  showed  a  most  dangerous  and  suspicious  dexterity 
and  adroitness  in  the  trade.  They  found  the  papers,  on  entering  the 
room,  nicely  laid  on  the  table.  They  seized  a  few,  and  were  escaping 
in  good  order,  when  the  plot  was  almost  ruined,  just  at  its  consum- 
mation, by  Mi-lord's  impetuosity.  He  seized  the  whole  bundle,  and 
wanted  to  throw  them  in  the  fire.     He  was  forcibly  dissuaded. 

Next  day  they  visited  Dalrymple's  room.  The  Duke  had  most 
considerately  left  the  door  open,  so  here  their  task  was  easy.  The 
last,  and  most  important,  Fahnestock's  room,  yet  remained.  Hither 
they  repaired,  but,  to  their  consternation,  found  Bart  in  the  entry 
"  cleaning  up."  All  seemed  lost.  Jake  Hendrickson  alone  preserved 
his  presence  of  mind.  He  showed  himself  possessed  of  an  indomitable 
heart.  He  borrowed  ten  cents,  and  dispatched  Bart  to  town  to  j)rocure 
for  him  five  cents  worth  of  licorice  root !  Then  they  began.  They 
hammered  and  battered  at  the  door,  but  "oak  and  iron  did  shine  his 
hall,"  or  something  decidedly  as  durable.  A  new-fangled  lock  had 
been  put  on  the  door,  and  the  Latin  papers  were  given  up  in  despair. 

After  this  they  loafed  worse  than  ever.  What  jolly  times  they 
did  have,  and  how  they  did  pity  the  fellows  who  had  to  study.  They 
drew  votes  as  to  who  should  take  first,  and  it  fell  to  Bergy.  But, 
alas,  now  comes  the  miserable  finale — they  all  got  their  papers  too 
good.  When  they  came  back,  they  hurriedly  and  mysteriously  left 
for  home,  and,  after  rusticating  for  a  few  weeks,  came  back,  thor- 
oughly resolved  that  in  the  future  they  would  pass  examinations  the 
legitimate  way. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '71.  27 


FRESHMAN  YEAR  INCIDENTS. 

Your  historian,  not  having  the  dates  of  events,  cannot  give  them 
in  chronological  order,  or  even  in  the  terms  in  which  they  happened. 

Our  first  recitation  was  heard  by  Tutor  Turner.  It  was  scarcely 
marked  by  any  very  brilliant  display  of  genius.  "Mr.  Bergner  "  was 
the  first  man  called  up.  We  who  had  known  Bergy  before  he  came 
to  College  looked  for  something  fine  ;  but  he  and  Jake  Van  Deventer 
and  Fred  Williamson  had  that  morning  been  taking  a  survey  of  the 
College  buildings  and  the  town,  Freshmanlike;  and  as  a  consequence, 
Berg  began  his  College  career  ingloriously  by  "  stumping."  We  were 
all  disgusted  as  Freshmen  will  be,  but  waited  for  the  next  man.  It 
was  Morris  ;  and  Morris  did  not  know  where  the  place  was,  nor  had 
he  been  able  to  find  any  fellow  who  did  know.  Affairs  looked  any- 
thing but  promising  for  a  glorious  finale  about  four  years  from  that 
time,  and  we  gave  vent  to  our  disappointed  feeling.  "Mr.  Atherton, 
please  recite,"  and  then  what  a  "rowl!"  Tommy  never  made  abetter 
recitation.     He  Avas  instantly  voted  an  honor  man. 

I  suppose  it  would  be  as  well  to  insert  here  a  copy  of  the  minutes 
of  our  class-meetings  during  the  first  term  ;  they  have  been  given  to 
me  by  Eddy  Deems. 

"The  first  meeting  of  the  class  was  held,  by  permission,  in  the 
<  old  Sophomore  class-room,'  on  Tuesday,  Sept.  13th,  1870.  Mr. 
Rankin  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  appointed  a  commitee  of  five  on 
permanent  organization,  a  committee  of  four  on  class  design  and 
motto,  and  a  committee  of  three  for  organizing  a  Bass  Ball  Nine. 
"second  meeting,  sept.  20th,  1870. 

"  Mr.  Darapman  was  called  to  the  chair.  Mr.  Wiggins  reported 
from  the  committee  on  permanent  organization,  which  nominated  the 
following  members  for  officers  of  the  class  for  the  first  term,  viz  : — 
President,  J.  P.  Egbert ;  Vice  President,  J.  S.  Biggs  ;  Secretary,  E. 
M.  Deems  ;  Treasurer,  J.  T.  Stuart. 

"The  report  was  accepted  and  the  committee  discharged.  Upon 
motion,  the  above  mentioned  officers  were  elected  by  acclamation. 
The  report  of  the  committee  on  class  stamp  was  postponed  until  next 
meeting.  Committee  on  base  ball  reported  progress,  and  was  con- 
tinued. A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  draft  rules  of  order. 
Dampman,  Rankin  and  Patterson  were  appointed.  The  meeting  then 
adjourned. 

"third  meeting,  sect.  30th,  1870. 

"  Meeting  called  to  order  by  the  President.  Wiggins  reported 
from  the  committee  on  class  stamp  :  he  had  but  one  to  propose,  which 
not  being  agreed  upon,  the  committee  was  continued.  Dampman 
reported  "from  committee  on  drafting  rules  of  order:  they  proposed  to 
the  class  not  to  have  any  special  rules,  but  to  be  governed  by  parlia- 
mentary rules,  and,  when  necessary,  to  consult  Cushing's  Manual.  The 


28  HISTORY  OK  THE  CLASS  OK  '74. 


report  was  accepted  and  the  committee  discharged.  It  was  moved  and 
seconded  that  the  class  Historian  be  elected  immediately.  Lost.  Meet- 
ing adjourned. 

"fourth  meeting,  oct.  14th,  1870. 
"Called  to  order  by  the  President.  Wiggins  reported  from  com- 
mittee on  class  design,  offering  one  which  was  accepted.  The  Presi 
dent  stated  that  the  principal  object  of  the  meeting  was  to  appoint  a 
committee  of  four,  to  unite  with  a  committee  of  the  same  number  from 
the  other  classes,  for  the  purpose  of  appointing  an  orator  from  the 
senior  class  to  address  John  C.  Green,  Esq.,  at  the  dedication  of  Dick- 
inson Hall.  The  following  committee  was  elected  by  ballot: — Neff, 
Bradford,  Bergner,  and  Stuart.     Meeting  adjourned. 

"  FIFTH  MEETING,  OCT.   25TII,   1870. 

"  President  in  the  chair.  Two  class  marshals  were  to  be  appointed 
to  attend  the  class  at  the  dedication  of  Dickinson  Hall.  Van  Deven- 
ter  and  Williamson  were  elected.  It  was  determined  to  have  the  class 
photographed  by  Warren,  of  Boston.  It  being  discovered  that  part 
of  our  class  stamp  was  the  same  as  that  of  another  class,  (what  a 
pity!)  the  report  of  the  committee  on  that  subject,  accepted  at  a 
former  meeting,  was  reconsidered  and  rejected.  Another  committee 
of  three — Riggs,  llubinkam  and  Deems — were  appointed  by  the  Pres- 
ident.    Meeting  adjourned. 

"  Class  meetings  of  first  Session  of  FYeshman  year. 

"E.  M.  Deems,  Secretary." 

On  the  15th  of  September,  1870,  we  had  our  cane  spree  with  '73. 
You  all  remember  perfectly  well,  how  Ave  rolled,  and  fought,  and  got 
choked  with  dust,  and  thought  ourselves  heroes.  It  is  useless  for  me 
to  describe  it.  Dr.  McCosh  was  out  for  the  first  and  last  time.  Do 
you  remember  his  command ?  "Disperse,  young  men,  or  the  bailiffs 
will  be  after  you!" 

In  fact,  the  whole  College  faculty  was  out  that  night,  and  some 
of  them  were  almost  smashed  in  the  rush.  Lots  of  our  boys  came 
off  well.  In  fact,  we  beat  'em.  The  most  memorable  battles  were 
between  Bradford  and  Fowler,  and  Dampman  and  Adams,  and  we 
licked  'em  in  both. 

On  the  night  of  September  21st,  we  built  our  first  fresh  fire. 
And  what  fun  it  was !  We  stole  all  the  fences  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  waked  everybody  up,  and  tolled  the  "dummy  bell,"  and  enjoyed 
the  evening  hugely. 

September  5th.  We  had  another  one.  It  was  not  as  pleasant 
as  the  first ;  the  novelty  had  begun  to  wear  off. 

October  21st.  One,  or  some  of  "our  boys,"  succeeded  in  scaling 
North  College  and  cutting  the  bell-rope.  Duke,  and  Bennett,  and 
Berg,  and  Billy  Smith,  slept  a  long  time  next  morning. 

The  class  nine  received  a  challenge  from  the  Lawrenceville  school. 
On  Saturday  they  started  and  gained  their  first  victory,  the  precursor 
of  many  more.  The  score,  on  the  7th  inning,  was  7  to  10  in  favor  of 
Lawrenceville,  and  '74  came  out  ahead  20  to  10. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  20 


What  a  power  is  eloquence !  How  grand  in  its  displays  !  How 
wonderful  in  its  effects !  And  when  to  this  "  noble,  god  like  action  " 
we  add 

" The  front  of  June  herself; 

An  eye  like  Mars  to  threaten  and  command ; 
A  station  like  the  herald  Mercury; 
New  lighted  on  a  heaven  kissing-  hill," 
How  much  more  potent  it  becomes  ! 

So  thought  the  members  of  the  Third  Division,  when,  on  one  oc- 
casion, in  Peabody's  recitation,  Wallace  delivered  with  awful  solemnity 
and  imposing  dignity, 

"The  boy  stood  on  the  burning  deck, 
His  baggage  checked  for  Troy,"  etc. 

About  this  time  our  Freshman  year  boat  crew  began  to  practice 
little  and  swear  much. 

Dampman  recovered  a  cane,  which  a  Sophomore  had  stolen  from 
him. 

Sabbath  evening,  September  11th,  we  held  our  first  class  prayer 
meeting.  It  was  largely  attended,  both  by  professors  and  non-profes- 
sors of  religion.  And  those  who  took  part  in  the  exercises  seemed 
to  realize  the  truth  of  the  promise,  that  where  two  or  three  are  gath- 
ered together  in  His  name,  He  is  in  the  midst  of  them. 

The  record-books  of  the  College  were  stolen,  and  '74  was  blamed 
for  the  theft ;  but,  beyond  suspicion,  nothing  was  done.  The  where- 
abouts of  the  books  was  always  a  mystery. 

Bradford  won  lasting  honor  by  vanquishing  a  huge  snob.  Snobby 
was  drunk. 

One  morning  a  placard,  supposed  to  have  originated  with  '73, 
appeared  on  the  bulletin-tree.     It  ran  thus: 

"A  party  of  Freshmen  went  out  one  night  on  a  lark,  and  de- 
molished the  free-school  furniture ;  stole  the  carriage  of  an  estimable 
Princeton  lady,  and  set  fire  to  the  President's  stable." 

November  5th.  '73's  proclamation  appeared,  stuck  over  all  con- 
ceivable portions  of  the  town: 

PROCLAMATION ! 

In  consideration  of  the  Good  Behaviour  and  Submissive  Disposition 

Hitherto  Manifested  by  the  Freshmen, 

And  as  a  Reward  for  the  Large  Number  of  Elegant  Staves, 

and  the 
Abundant  Supply  of  Kindling  Wood  with  which  they  have  so  freely 

furnished  us, 

We,  the  Members  of  '73,  do  hereby  Proclaim, 

That  on  and  after  November  5th,  1870,  Freshmen  may  Carry  Cams 

AT  ALL  HOURS. 

N.  B. — Don't  go  home  and  brag  that  you  swung  sticks  all  through 
the  first  session  of  Fresh  year. 

Commenting  on  this,  the  "Lit."  said  : 

"Last  session  the  Sophs  issued  a  proclamation  kindly  (?)  permit- 
ting Freshmen  to  carry  canes.      Taking  into  consideration  that  the 


30  HISTORY  OK  THIS  CLASS  OF  '74. 


Freshmen  have  been  carrying  canes  ever  since  they  have  been  in 
College,  we  think  that  this  proclamation  was  uncalled  for,  and  in  every 
degree  pretty  thin  !  " 

Tom  Ricketts  went  on  the  University  foot-ball  twenty-five,  as 
74's  representative. 

At  the  opening  of  the  second  session  we  found  that  eighteen 
fellows  had  left,  and  only  one  entered,  Gephart. 

Shaw  told  the  President  that  a  verse  in  regard  to  which  he  had 
been  questioned  was  in  the  38th  chapter  of  John,  23d  verse.  lie  was 
so  confident  he  was  correct  that  he  was  not  a  little  astonished  at  the 
irate  rejoinder:  "John  hasn't  thirty-eight  chapters  in  it,  sir!-' 

Deadly  enmity  changed  to  hate !  The  one  desirous  of  spilling 
his  brother's  blood  imperiling  his  life  to  save  a  fellow  man,  and  that 
man  the  one  at  whose  defenceless  breast  he  had  discharged  a  blank 
cartridge. 

Frishmuth  wanted  Irby  to  go  skating,  but  Irby  couldn't  find  any 
skates,  and  he  went  along  just  to  see  Frisk's  graceful  evolutions.  He 
fastened  on  his  skates  and  darted  out  into  the  pond,  cutting  all  sorts 
of  figures,  and  gliding  around  quite  gleefully,  much  to  Irby's  envy. 

"O,  it's  gay ! "  shouted  the  delighted  skater,  as  he  cut  a  figure 
more  astonishing  than  any  other,  and  ended  with  a  spread  eagle. 

"It  must  be,"  replied  Irby,  ironically;  "didn't  that  hurt?" 

"Not  much,"  said  Frish,  with  a  wry  face,  rubbing  the  bruised 
portion  of  his  body. 

"I  bet  it  did." 

The  words  had  hardly  escaped  Irby's  mouth  when  crack  went 
the  ice  and  down  went  Frish.  How  he  yelled  !  Irby  heroically  dart- 
ed up  the  bank,  reached  the  fence,  pulled  off  a  rail,  and  ran  back,  just 
as  Frish,  frozen  almost  stiff,  was  giving  up.  In  went  the  rail ;  Frish 
got  hold  and  was  pulled  out. 

Small-pox  broke  out  in  the  college,  and  anxious  papas  and  mam- 
mas telegraphed  for  their  darlings"  to  come  home  to  them.  The  dar- 
lings went  on  the  first  train,  and  thus  ended  the  second  session. 

In  the  third  session  Bennett  left  us  The  Lord  was  a  queer  'un. 
The  rake  business  did  the  business.  Lord,  wasn't  he  a  queer  'un !  I 
never  knew  a  fellow  Avith  such  a  mania  for  selling  his  room  and  the 
things  in  it.  It  grew  to  be  a  sort  of  religious  duty  with  him.  Every 
fellow  must  have  at  least  one  religious  duty,  you  know.  He  has  only 
visited  Princeton  once  since  he  left,  and  that  was  to  see  if  he  couldn't 
sell  his  room  again.  That  time  he  had  to  lie  around  the  campus,  'cause 
Hankins  wanted  him.  The  Lord  was  unique,  and  on  that  account  we 
missed  him  sadly. 

Plow  we  did  practice  for  fresh  year  contests.  That  was  the 
biggest  time  for  us.  We  used  to  make  Potter's  woods  hideous  with 
open  air  declamation.  Old  Mr.  Stuart  and  I  used  to  go  down  together, 
and  my  speech  was  so  long  that  Jai  always  took  a  comfortable  nap 
and  woke  up  in  time  to  criticise. 

In  Whig  Hall,  the  prize  men  were — J.  S.  Riggs,  first  prize ;  J. 
II.  Ross,  second  prize. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OK  '74.  31 

In  Clio — W.  D.  Nicholas,  first  prize;  W.  H.  Wiggins,  second  prize. 
Our  class-stamp  at  last  put  in  an  appearance,  and  was  in  constant 
requisition.  The  next  Sabbath  after  its  arrival,  Sammy  Bobbins  ap- 
peared in  chapel  with  it  stamped,  after  the  maimer  of  heraldic  embla- 
zonry, on  his  shirt  bosom,  collar  and  cuffs.  We  all  thought  that  was 
carrying  class  veneration  a  little  beyond  the  adopted  standard. 

Base  ball  nine  and  class  had  an  awful  row.  Beach  made  an 
elegant  speech,  as  the  nine  thought,  but  the  class  laughed  at  it,  and 
Harry  was  determined  to  thrash  them,  individually  and  collectively. 

I  forgot  to  mention  in  connection  with  the  first  term,  that  Strat 
Leeds  left  us  ;  when  the  nine  lost  a  fine  player,  and  the  class  a  thor- 
oughly good-hearted,  genial  fellow.  He  promised  to  come  back  ;  but 
the  wicked  world  had  too  many  attractions  for  him. 

A  Fresh  year  conundrum  by  Dershimer  or  Walt.  Bruyere,  I  never 
could  tell  which — some  fellow  in  the  first  division  anyhow : 
What  had  our  Latin  Tutor  better  do  ? 
Fan  his  stock  of  brains,  or  the  flame  will  expire ! 
Just  before  College  broke  up,  a  class-meeting  was  held  to  decide 
about  some  suitable  present  to  Tutor  Turner,  as  a  mark  of  our  appre- 
ciation of  his  gentlemanly  demeanor  to  us  during  all  our  intercourse. 
After  much  discussion,  Van  Deventer  moved  to  present  him  with  a 
gold  chain.  The  resolution  was  passed,  and  Jake  appointed  a  com- 
mittee of  one  to  go  to  New  York  and  procure  the  gift.  After  the 
chain  had  arrived  and  met  with  the  entire  approval  of  the  class,  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  take  it  to  Turner's  room,  in  order  that  no 
stir  or  excitement  might  be  created  in  the  College.  The  committee 
consisted  of  Deems  as  chairman,  Badeau  and  Crawford.  They  waited 
on  the  Tutor,  and  Deems,  in  a  neat  little  speech,  tendered  him  the  chain 
with  the  compliments  of  '74.  Mr.  Turner  cordially  thanked  us  ;  but 
was  too  much  surprised  to  express  himself  fully.  Deems  during  the 
same  day  received  the  following  letter,  which  explains  itself. 

June  26,  1871. 
Gentlemen: — Your  action  this  morning  took  me  so  much  by  surprise  that 
1  knew  not  what  to  say  in  return. 

But  the  beautiful  present  the  gentlemen  of  your  class  have  given  me  de- 
mands more  than  a  mere  verbal  response.  Hence  this  note.  I  am  profoundly 
grateful  for  this  kind  remembrance  ;  the  more  so  because  I  cannot  feel  thai  it 
is  deserved. 

Our  intercourse  both  in  and  out  of  the  class-room,  has  been,  to  me,  very 
pleasant  and  very  profitable,  and,  as  I  remarked  to  you  a-  few  day  ago,  it  is 
with  sincere  regret  that  I  part  from  you. 

I  shall  always  gratefully  remember  your  kindness,  and  in  the  chain  of 
recollections  of  my  duties  here,  no  link  will  be  brighter  or  stronger  than  that 
which  connects  me  with  you. 

Accept  for  yourselves,  gentlemen,  and  for  your  class  (lie  assurance  of  my 
kind  regard. 

Very  truly  yours, 

E.   M.  TURNER. 
Messrs.  Badeau,         j 

Crawford,    .  Committee. 
Deems,  J 


32  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  74. 

Walker  and  Crawford  were  appointed  to  go  to  New  York,  and 
have  a  design  engraved  for  onr  commencement  badges,  and  to  hunt 
ribbon  for  the  same.  They  had  to  take  Loose  and  Stuart  along  to 
show  the  ways  of  the  city,  and  they  met  with  many  ludicrous  accidents. 
"  Stockings  "  was  a  word  which  never  failed  to  bring  a  smile  to  the 
face  of  all. 

We  went  into  Greek  recitation  with  a  piece  of  muslin  pinned  on 
our  coats,  and  printed  thereon  the  words  "  Where  and  Why?" 

Commencement  week  came  around  at  last,  and  we  felt  extremely 
large  at  the  idea  of  our  having  reached  the  proud  distinction  of 
Sophomores.  I  think  that  was  the  longest  stride  we  ever  made.  I 
don't  believe  we  struted  and  swelled  half  so  much  when  we  were  up- 
per class-men.  During  commencement,  President  Grant  paid  us  a 
visit.  He  made  a  speech ;  it  was  a  short  speech.  But  we  cheered 
half  a  dozen  times  during  its  delivery,  and  that  made  it  appear  longer 
than  it  really  was. 

We  wTent  home  thoroughly  delighted  with  College  life,  to  relate 
our  wonderful  deeds  to  a  circle  of  admiring  relations,  who  thought  us 
heroes,  and  about  one  hundred  and  ten  dear  little  girls  who  thought  us 
individually  splendid. 


SOPHOMORE  YEAR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

GREEK   FIRE. 

One  night,  about  the  middle  of  the  first  session,  "  polling"  became 
excessively  tiresome  to  the  heroes  in  the  following  sketch,  and,  as  a 
mental  reaction,  forth  they  went  to  concoct  some  plan  to  while  away 
the  weary  hours.  Round  the  Campus,  and  out  into  the  town,  they 
roamed,  and  nothing  presented  itself  to  their  eager  minds  ;  their  brains 
refused  to  give  them  an  idea.  Up  and  down  Nassau  street  they  wan- 
dered, and  still  the  patron  goddess  of  mischief,  quceeunque  sit,  re- 
fused to  lend  her  gracious  aid,  though  they  invoked,  times  without 
number,  either  her  or  the  arch-fiend,  her  worthy  coadjutor.  They 
couldn't  think  of  what  to  do,  until  suddenly  they  came  in  front  of 
Priest's  window.  They  brought  up  quickly,  and  Fred  (for  it  was 
Freddy  and  John  Walker,)  says  : 
"I  have  it!" 
"Well,  out  with  it." 

"  I  tell  you  what  let's  do.  Let  us  buy  some  fire-crackers,  some 
big  fire-crackers,  those  thick  whollopers,  young  cannon,  you  know. 
Let  us  buy  some  of  those  and  put  them  off  in  fellows'  windows." 

The  thought  pleased  John  exceedingly  well.  "All  right,"  he  said. 
Accordingly,  the  fire-crackers  were  purchased  and  oft*  they  went. 

Now,  it  so  happened  that  on  this  night  David  Neese  was  regaling 
some  friends,  with  a  perfect  feast  of  reason  and  flow  of  soul.  He  had 
produced  all  his  last  and  most  dearly  purchased  treasures  in  the  book 
line,  and  was  delightedly  explaining  the  value  and  purport  of  each. 
There  were  some  of  Horace's  choicest  Falernian,  and  much  of  those 
wonderful  intuitive  perceptions  on  the  origin  of  evil,  of  which  David 
was  the  sole  author. 

The  third  course  had  just  been  reached  when  the  tormentors 
stole  to  the  window. 

"Quod  si  comminus"  scanned  David,  not  inappropriately.  Whe 
ther  Fred  and  John  understood  the  sentence,  or  caught  the  idea  in- 
tended, I  have  never  learned.  But,  at  all  events,  they  declined  the 
invitation,  and,  by  way  of  revenge  on  David  for  his  imputation,  they 
touched  the  cracker.  Bang!  it  went  right  through  the  window,  cur- 
tain and  all.  Positively  David  forgot  to  yell  for  two  minutes,  and 
even  the  imperturbable  Pigeon  neglected  for  some  time  to  catch  up 
an  available  poker  and  dash  out  of  doors.  Darkness  there,  and  noth- 
ing more. 

"My  oh!  didn't  that  make  a  noise?"  whispered  David,  timor- 
ously.    "I  wonder  if  it  will  come  again  ?" 

"\  hope  they'll  come  again!"  furiously  responded  tlie  warlike 
Pigeon,  "I  want  to  maul  'em." 


34  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 

"No,  don't;  it  wouldn't  be  proper." 

"  Of  course  I  will ;  d'ye  suppose  people  are  going  to  make  a  fool 
of  me  that  way  for  nothing  ?" 

"Do  you  think  it  was  a  student?" 

"  Certainly  it  was ;  I  wish  I  could  have  caught  him,"  and  he 
gnashed  his  teeth  in  impotent  rage. 

"I  didn't  think  they  could  have  been  so  cruel,"  meekly  said  that 
classmate  who  so  immortally  laid  himself  out  on  the  Fairy  Queen. 
"Don't  be  afraid,  I'll  watch  for  them,"  replied  his  considerate  room- 
mate, and  proceeded  to  tie  David's  head  up  in  the  wet  rag  which  he 
donned  nightly. 

In  the  meantime  where  were  the  authors  of  this  mischief?  Do 
they  content  themselves  with  frightening  poor  little  David  almost  out 
of  his  nine  wits,  and  so  enraging  Pigeon  that  he  charges  at  imaginary 
windmills  all  night !  Not  so.  Come  to  the  west  end  of  North,  and 
look  into  a  room  on  the  ground4loor.  You  all  know  the  room  well. 
It  is  occupied  by  Simp  and  Erne.  They  are  busily  at  work  on  the 
morrow's  Greek,  and  many  and  warm  are  their  wranglings  over  sen- 
tences. Erne  would  aver  it  was  one  way,  and  Simp  would  deny  it, 
and  then  much  time  would  be  lost  in  the  dispute ;  more,  in  fact,  than 
either  was  willing  to  put  on  his  work.  They  Avere  at  the  height  of 
one  of  these  altercations  when  Fred  Williamson  and  Jake  Walker 
arrived. 

Cautiously  raising  himself  to  a  level  with  the  window-sill,  Jake 
peered  into  the  room. 

"  Now,  Minor,  I  tell  you  it  ain't  that  way,"  and  Simp  proceeded 
to  sustain  his  point. 

"Why,  pshaw,  look  here,"  and  Minor  endeavored  to  overturn 
Simp's  argument. 

•'  Hand  up  the  machine,"  whispered  Jake,  and  up  came  the  ex- 
plosive compound. 

Simp  had  just  attempted  to  change  Minor's  rendition,  and  Minor 
had  just  replied  with,  "O !  go  way,  Simp,  you're  a  fool,"  when  as  if 
in  fulfillment  of  the  threatened  retribution  upon  him  who  would  call 
his  brother  a  fool,  the  cracker  struck  him  on  the  head,  and  exploded 
as  it  struck.  The  effect  was  instantaneous.  The  occupants  of  the 
room  had  been  sitting  on  opposite  sides  of  the  table,  with  the  lamp 
suspended  between  them,  as  is  the  fashion  in  college  rooms.  The 
lamp  was  blown  out ;  the  place  was  left  in  total  darkness,  and  both 
Simp  and  Erne  rolled  on  the  floor. 

Never  a  word  said  Simp  ;  he  just  lay  with  his  heels  in  the  air  and 
kicked  and  winked  like  an  enormous  turtle.  Do  I  hear  any  one  ask, 
was  he  frightened  ?  Frightened !  the  word  is  inadequate  to  express 
his  state  of  mind.  Confused  ideas  of  Guy  Fawks,  the  Harvard  Sophs, 
who  had  blown  up  a  building  with  gun  powder,  his  friends  at  home, 
and  the  Proctor  floated  confusingly  in  his  mind.  He  reckoned  up  all 
the  assassinations  he  had  heard  of  and  mentally  pronouned  this  the 
most  blood-thirsty,  atrocious,  diabolical  of  all.  A  thousand  thoughts 
as  to  where  he  was  hit,  and  conjectures  as  to  whether  he  was  much  hurt, 


11 1. STORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    74. 


swam  ill  the  stormy  sea  of  his  mental  perceptions,  but  he  could  only 
kick  and  wink  and  give  utterance  to  nothing. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  room  was  Erne  reposing,  not  tranquilly 
like  Simp,  but  doing  enough  yelling  for  both.  There  issued  from  his 
throat  piercing  cries  of  "  help  !  help  !  murder  !  I'm  shot !"  mingled 
with  sentences  expressive  of  his  painful  apprehensions  that  he  was 
about  to  be  scalped  and  his  body  was  to  be  most  horribly  mangled. 
I  assure  you,  I  am  not  exaggerating  a  single  bit.  They  were  awfully 
scared  ;  so  scared  they  scarcely  knew  themselves.  After  awhile  when 
Erne's  thoughts  became  clearer,  he  wondered  where  he  had  been  hit ; 
and  as  if  the  idea  was  too  horrible  to  remain  pent  up,  he  began  to 
shout  "Oh!  my  head!  my  head!"  and  when  summoning  up  sufficient 
courage  he  felt  the  said  member  and  failed  to  discover  a  bruise,  he 
snatched  up  a  poker  and  rushed  out  into  the  night  substituting 
"  Oh  !  pshaw,"  for  "  Oh !  my  head  !"  But  alas,  he  was  as  unsuccess- 
ful as  Pigoon,  and  returning  to  his  room,  he  struck  a  match  and  lit  his 
lamp  as  well  as  the  broken  state  of  the  chimney  would  permit.  There 
he  found  Simp  in  the  state  of  imbecility  which  I  have  attempted  to 
describe,  staring  wildly  into  vacancy  ;  both  legs  waving  mechanically, 
and  winking  and  blinking  with  both  eyes,  as  though  in  an  endeavor 
to  wink  and  kick  his  mind  back  into  its  normal  condition.  Minor  re- 
ceiving no  answer  to  his  friendly  and  anxious  question  if  he  was  much 
hurt,  proceeded  to  administer  restoratives.  Sundry  counter-kicks  and 
sousings  with  water,  together  with  the  mention  of  some  adjectives 
more  strengthening  to  speech  than  consoling  to  person,  gradually  re- 
called Simpson  to  consciousness. 

About  an  hour  after,  I  called  on  these  worthies,  in  compliance 
with  a  request  from  Fred  and  John,  and  found  them  sitting  one  on 
each  side  of  the  table,  with  their  heads  between  their  hands,  vainly 
endeavoring  to  recall  some  incident  which  would  serve  as  a  clue, 
Simp  looked  up  as  I  entered  the  room ;  his  eyes  still  had  a  vacant, 
meaningless  stare,  and  it  took  Minor — generally,  I  should  have  said,  so 
kind  and  hospitable — five  minutes  to  say  "good  evening." 

I  feelingly  inquired  into  the  cause  of  their  seeming  depression. 
Not  a  word  would  they  say,  until  after  some  minutes  Minor  broke 
the  stillness,  his  voice  sounding  low  and  vengeful  through  the  sulpher- 
laden  air: 

"  I  tell  you  now,  if  I  ever  ketch  the  man  that  fired  that  beastly 
rocket  through  my  superlative  window,  I'll  be  superlatived  if  I  don't 
murder  him  alive." 

I  tried  to  reason  with  him  on  the  great  preponderance  of  the 
punishment  over  the  offence,  and  hoped  he  would  do  nothing  rashly. 

"  I'll  be  superlatived  if  I  don't  help,"  said  Simp,  and  lie  glared 
savagely. 

They  almost  got  the  idea  into  their  heads  that  I  had  done  it,  and 
were  going  to  lay  violent  hands  on  me.  When  I  had  proved  an  alibi, 
I  asked  Minor  what  he  thought  it  was. 

"Blamed  if  I  didn't  think  it  was  a  comet;  yes,  I  did." 

So  did  Billy  Sponsler. 


36  HISTORY  OF  THK  CLASS  OF  '74. 


Though  it  happened  in  Senior  year,  I  must  tell  you  that  story 
about  Spons,  just  while  I  think  of  it.  The  time  of  its  happening  was 
just  after  he  had  failed  in  inventing  that  wonderful  telescope,  and  a 
short  time  before  he  had  begun  to  translate  Ilesiod,  and  just  when  he 
imagined  himself  to  be  nightly  listening  to  the  music  of  the  spheres, 
and  was  most  enthusiastic  on  the  subject  of  astronomy.  Every  night 
he  would  go  out  star-gazing;  every  afternoon  he  lectured  to  a  chosen 
few  in  his  bed-room,  where  we  were  seated  before  a  huge  black-board. 
And  the  number  of  movements  of  the  heavenly  bodies  which  he  por- 
trayed to  our  admiring  eyes,  was  truly  wonderful.  The  primitive 
chaotic  confusion  was  nothing  compared  to  this  new  system  of  revo- 
lutions. The  law  of  gravitation  was  an  affair  altogether  too  anti- 
quated to  enter  into  his  calculation. 

Well,  one  night  Jimmy  Scarlet  was  hard  at  work,  when  in  came 
Billy  excitedly. 

"  Simon,  I've  discovered  a  comet ! " 

"Nonsense,"  said  Simon,  "you've  been  drinking  beer."  Then 
he  rubbed  his  hands  and  laughed,  and  it  was  known  he  had  indulged 
in  a  joke. 

"No,  sir;  I  tell  you  I  have.  I  will  become  immortal.  My  name 
will  go  down  to  future  ages." 

"Yes,  the  mighty  genius — the  incomparable  Bill,"  and  again  he 
laughed. 

"  Come  out,  Simon,  till  I  show  it  to  you." 

And  grasping  Simon  by  the  collar,  out  they  went,  and  stood  for 
about  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  wnile  Billy  was  sweeping  the  heavens 
in  vain  endeavors  to  descry  the  object  of  his  darling  hope. 

Suddenly  "  there  it  is !  "  he  eagerly  cried. 

"Where?"  said  Simon. 

"Why,  right  up  there  over  the  Seminary.     Don't  you  see  it '?" 

"  O  !  you  fool !  that's  only  three  stars  close  together." 

"  Wait  till  I  get  on  my  glasses," — a  long  pause.  "  So  it  is,"  said 
Billy  mournfully,  "but  it  did  look  like  a  comet  a  little  while  ago." 

And  Billy  went  off  to  think  of  ghost  stories  to  tell  in  Jake  Van 
Deventer's  room  on  the  next  Sunday  evening. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  37 


CHAPTER  E. 

THE    STEALING    OF    THE    ENGINE. 

It  had  been  a  day  of  triumph  with  our  elass  in  Princeton.  The 
nine  returning,  victorious  from  the  ball-field,  had  delighted  the  hearts 
of  '74  to  an  extent  at  that  time  rarely  known.  Most  of  what  had 
been  lost  in  wagers  on  former  matches,  had  been  won  baek,  and  the 
betters — Sam  Loose  and  Jai  Stuart — had  not  found  it  necessary  to 
"hedge,"  nor  were  either  of  them  heard  to  inveigh  against  the  vicis- 
situdes of  fortune  and  the  playing  qualities  of  our  boys.  Even  Badeau 
had  expressed  himself  heartily  satisfied. 

There  was  unusual  quietness  in  recitation  that  afternoon.  Mose 
and  Dave  and  Jo  Parker  refrained  from  their  hilarity  to  some  extent, 
and  in  consequence  comparative  order  prevailed,  except  when  Winans 
and  Billy  Wilson  got  up  a  loud  argument  on  the  back  seat,  and  Tom 
llicketts  and  John  Reid  enlivened  the  hour  with  a  few  counters  and 
guards.  It  was  so  quiet  that  the  flies  droned,  buzzed,  and  bothered 
one  to  sleep.  It  was  too  hot  to  make  any  noise,  but  I  expected 
an  ebullition  when  evening's  coolness  produced  some  energy.  In 
Chapel  there  was  also  unusual  silence.  Carson,  Carter  and  Co.  sang  in 
milder  tones  than  was  their  wont,  and  omitted  certain  voluntary  scale- 
running  and  extempore  quavering,  with  which  exhibitions  they  were 
often  accustomed  to  enliven  their  singing.  No  fellow  knocked  the 
head  of  his  worshiping  classmate  against  the  seat,  and  Beach  wasn't 
half  way  down  the  aisle  before  the  "  amen  "  was  pronounced. 

While  Caius  Cooke  and  myself  were  standing  in  the  campus, 
discussing  Caius'  last  homily  on  etiquette,  vainly  striving  to  reconcile 
his  idiosyncrasies  with  his  recitational  references  to  politeness;  and 
while  we  were  lost  in  admiration  of  the  Spartan-like  heroism  and 
firmness  with  which  he  performed  that  task,  which  he  himself  declared 
to  be  so  deeply  revolting  to  his  inner  nature — the  receiving  of  disorder 
marks — I  felt  a  light  touch  cfh  the  shoulder,  such  light  touches  as  the 
boys  are  accustomed  to  give.  Turning,  I  saw  Jim  Griggs.  Now 
Jim  is  not  easily  excited,  and  withal  used  to  conduct  himself  with 
much  dignity.  I  don't  think  Jim  ever  hit  a  fellow  on  the  back  before, 
and  I  believe  if  any  one  had  hit  Jim  familiarly  on  the  back  it  would 
have  startled  him  to  such  an  extent  as  to  cause  premature  stoppage 
in  the  growth  of  those  luxuriant  Avhiskers,  which,  even  in  Soph  year, 
were  his  darling  pride  and  the  only  object  of  his  constant  attention. 
In  view  of  these  facts,  it  is  not  strange  that  I  marveled  much  at  Jim's 
demeanor.  He  looked  more  queerly  than  ever  I  have  seen  him  before 
or  since.  You  know  how  guileless  is  the  general  expression  of  his 
countenance.  Well,  as  I  looked  at  him  I  was  frightened.  I  thought, 
can  Griggs  have  wandered  from  the  paths  of  rectitude?  His  eyes 
flashed  with  a  dangerous  light ;  the  mischievous  expression  of  his 


38  HISTORY  OP  THE  01. ASS  OF  '74. 


countenance  was  plainly  indicative  of  the  existence  in  his  brain  of 
some  plot  designed  for  midnight's  witching  hour. 

"  Hist,"  said  he  ;  "come  here  !  "  And  he  laid  one  finger  along- 
side his  nose  and  slowly  shut  one  eye,  which  we  construed  to  mean 
secrecy  and  attention. 

"  Do  you  want  to  have  some  fun  1 " 

We  expressed  our  perfect  willingness  to  join  in  any  scheme  cal- 
culated to  drive  dull  care  away,  and  he  led  the  way  to  his  room, 
where  we  found  a  number  of  exceedingly  congenial  spirits — kindred 
spirits.  There  were  Shaw,  and  Badeau,  and  Zach  Taylor,  and  Sam 
Kobbins,  and  Funk,  and  Jacobs,  and  several  others  of  night-rambling 
propensities. 

After  many  mysterious  hints  from  the  initiated,  and  after  many 
entreaties  on  the  part  of  Cookey  and  myself,  some  one  informed  us  of 
the  matter  under  consultation.  Then  it  appeared  that  some  villainous 
fireman  down  in  Queenstown  had  kindly  and  persistently  urged  on 
Jimmy  Griggs  the  expediency  of  getting  up  a  party  for  the  purpose 
of  stealing  the  fire-engine  of  that  place  from  its  house  and  secreting 
it  in  the  woods,  alleging  as  the  reason  of  his  strange  suggestion, 
that  the  Princeton  fire  company  wanted  it,  and  that  the  "Queenstown 
boys"  did  not  mean  to  let  them  have  it  if  they  could  in  any  way  keep 
it  themselves.  The  plan  of  the  "  Queenstown  boys  "  was  so  obvious 
and  their  object  in  getting  up  this  novel  theft  so  patent,  that  several 
of  the  company  demurred  to  the  expedition,  urging  that  if  it  was  un- 
dertaken, we  would  all  find  ourselves  in  a  trap,  and  that  several  broken 
heads  was  a  treat  not  much  to  be  relished,  and  that  the  sight  presented 
to  the  eyes  of  our  classmates  next  morning  would  be,  to  say  the  least 
of  it,  astonishing. 

Jimmy  Griggs,  however,  insisted  that  it  was  all  right.  He  knew 
the  fellows.  They  were  nice  fellows.  He  had  known  them  all  his 
life.  There  was  no  danger  of  any  ambush.  He  scouted  at  the  idea. 
Indeed,  he  argued  so  powerfully  in  favor  of  the  spree,  and  painted 
the  delights  of  it  in  such  glowing  colors,  that  I  almost  began  to  doubt 
Avhether  he  was  holding  fast  allegiance  fo  the  class,  and  whether  he 
didn't  want  to  see  us  tearing  like  mad  across  fields  and  tumbling  into 
ditches  just  for  fun.  But  my  faith  in  Jimmy  was  too  strong,  and  I 
banished  all  fears  on  that  score.  He  was  so  thoroughly  earnest  and 
argumentative  that,  if  not  convinced,  he  succeeded  in  pursuading  us  to 
go.  And  agreeing  to  start  at  10:30,  steal  the  engine,  and  run  her 
into  the  canal,  we  separated. 

The  hours  passed  slowly  away.  Even  whist  and  poker  lost  their 
attractions,  so  all-absorbing  was  the  interest  in  this  new  excitement. 
Ten  o'clock  came  around,  then  ten-thirty,  and  at  the  appointed  hour 
a  crowd  assembled  on  the  Campus,  unrecognizable  in  all  conceivable 
sorts  of  disguises — old  stove  pipe  hats,  torn  and  worn  out  coats,  coats 
turned  inside  out,  everything  and  anything  the  most  fertile  brain  could 
devise.     Nevin,  I  remember,  wore  a  telescope,  which  completely  cov- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  30 

ered  his  fine,  manly  features.  And  now  let  your  historian  retire  be- 
hind the  scenes,  for  in  truth  he  did  little  on  this  night  but  run,  which 
action  he  performed  to  the  best  of  his  ability. 

Two  by  two  the  boys  filed  out  of  the  Campus  gate,  and  took  their 
way  to  the  lower  end  of  town.  It  was  a  silent  party.  The  walk  was  not 
enlivened  by  song  and  jest ;  no  one  laughed ;  no  one  dared  even  talk 
above  a  whisper,  for  fear  of  detection.  No  one  could  tell  in  what 
dark  corner,  behind  what  fence,  or  around  what  tree,  Avas  concealed 
some  myrmidon  of  the  law.  They  only  accomplished  about  half  the 
distance  when  a  council  of  war  was  held.  It  then  was  discovered  that 
no  one  knew  where  the  engine  was,  whether  in  a  street,  in  a  shed, 
locked  up  or  exposed.  It  was  to  be  hunted  for  as  well  as  stolen ;  but 
as  it  was  not  any  very  delicate,  small  instrument,  which  a  man  could 
easily  put  in  a  very  small  space,  not  much  doubt  was  entertained  on 
the  subject  of  being  able  to  come  across  it.  In  the  meantime  Shaw 
and  Badeau  had  got  together  apart  from  the  crowd,  and,  after  some 
interchange  of  opinions,  had  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  the  thing 
was,  at  best,  somewhat  risky.  They  determined  to  contrive  some  plan 
by  which  they  could  guard  themselves  against  the  danger  of  surprise. 
They  put  their  heads  together  a  little  longer,  and  then  hurried  back 
to  the  main  body,  and  Shaw  held  forth  thus : 

"Now,  boys,  look  here  ;  I  begin  to  believe  that  this  is  some  kind 
of  a  scare  which  has  been  got  up  by  the  snobs.  I  think  somebody's 
laying  for  us,  and  I  think  we  ought  to  look  out  for  'em.  Don't  you 
think  it  would  be  the  safest  plan  to  let  two  fellows  keep  a  little  ahead 
and  watch  ?  You  know  they  can  see  if  the  engine  is  where  we  can 
get  it,  and  if  any  one  is  guarding  it." 

Badeau  kept  adding  strength  to  Shaw's  remarks  by  an  occasional 
"  I  do  ;"  "  certainly ;"  "  that's  the  best  plan  ;"  and,  fearful  of  any  dis- 
senting voice,  off  they  both  started,  after  agreeing  on  a  signal,  so  that 
the  whole  party  need  not  keep  together.  You  have  no  idea  of  the 
impressive  and  solemn  manner  in  which  all  proceedings  were  con- 
ducted. It  was  as  though  an  enemy's  country  was  being  entered,  and 
there  was  near  at  hand  a  palladium  which  it  was  of  vital  importance 
to  capture.  Shaw's  speech  was  like  that  of  some  old  Roman  dictator, 
counseling  prudence  and  caution,  and  as  for  the  whole  party,  in  view 
of  the  surmise  as  to  a  surprise,  they  couldn't  have  been  more  fright- 
ened if  the  street  had  been  paved  with  torpedoes  and  their  shoes  were 
on  fire. 

The  signal  that  the  engine  was  all  right  was  to  be  the  whistling 
of  "  The  Gal  I  left  Behind  me  ;"  and,  as  an  intimation  of  danger,  both 
the  scouts  agreed  to  furnish  us  with  a  few  notes  of  "St.  Patrick's  Day 
in  the  Morning,"  on  the  same  easily  available  instrument.  While  the 
rest  were  standing  shivering  in  the  street,  the  advance  guard  recon- 
noitered.  The  engine  was  found  standing  in  a  yard.  They  felt  it  all 
over,  and  assured  themselves  it  was  not  locked ;  came  mighty  near 
ringing  the  bell;  failed  to  discover  any  lurking  foe,  and  set  out  on 
their  return.     For  the  life  of  them  neither  could  think  of  the  difference 


40  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 

in  the  tunes,  and  neither  could  tell  which  tune  they  were  trying  to  get ; 
they  got  them  mixed  up,  and  in  consequence  Badeau  struck  up  "St. 
Patrick,"  and  Shaw  boldly  waded  in  on  "The  Campbells  are  Coming." 
The  effect  on  the  fellows  up  street  was  startling.  Everybody  stood 
still,  vainly  endeavoring  to  make  some  distinguishable  tune  from  the 
jargon  of  shrill  notes  sounding  from  down  street.  No  one  could  tell 
whether  a  regiment  of  marshals  was  guarding  the  engine,  or  whether 
it  was  going  to  be  an  easy  prey.  And  down  street  Shaw  and  Badeau 
waited,  and  blew  till  they  were  red  in  the  face,  till  finally  they  rushed 
up  street  to  see  what  was  the  matter,  and  the  noise  of  their  running, 
together  with  the  anxiety  and  doubt  already  existing,  impressed  their 
comrades  with  the  belief  that  the  whole  of  Queenstown  was  up  in 
arms  and  in  hot  pursuit.  A  general  stampede  was  the  result,  and  it 
took  some  time  to  recall  the  scattered  forces,  and  then  at  last  the  main 
body  took  up  the  line  of  march. 

But  Shaw  and  Badeau,  still  mindful  of  their  welfare,  called  a  halt, 
and  each  borrowing  a  revolver,  and  procuring  a  couple  of  stones,  they 
announced  their  intention  of  going  a  little  distance  down  the  road  to 
the  canal,  so  as  to  guard  against  any  detachment  of  the  enemy  advanc- 
ing from  that  direction,  and  thereby  putting  us  between  two  fires. 
They  argued  that  there  were  enough  to  get  the  engine,  and  they  deemed 
that  the  safety  of  all  must  be  secured  at  the  cost  of  their  own  personal 
convenience.  To  this  proposition  every  one  assented  but  Cookey. 
He  wanted  to  go  along,  but  they  wouldn't  let  him,  and  started  off. 

The  main  body  slipped  cautiously  down  street,  and  only  found 
the  engine  after  much  stumbling  and  fumbling  in  the  dark,  and  found 
it  with  all  four  wheels  tied  together  with  huge  cables.  It  was  no  light 
task  to  get  them  unloosed,  but  we  went  to  work  in  earnest,  and  unlim- 
bered  the  machine,  and  were  all  prepared  for  a  start.  But  where  are 
the  scouts  ?     Let  us  go  down  the  road  and  find  them. 

Before  we  go  one  hundred  yards  we  find  them  curled  up  in  a  fence 
corner,  not  daring  to  speak  above  a  whisper,  and  gazing  fearfully  at 
the  houses,  which  seemed  terribly  large  and  terribly  near  through  the 
darkness.  Everything  around  was  perfectly  still ;  not  a  human  being 
had  shown  himself;  the  houses  were  wrapped  in  a  dead  silence;  not 
a  light  was  to  be  seen  anywhere.  It  seemed  as  though  the  village  was 
deserted.  And  there  Shaw  and  Badeau  lay  and  waited  anxiously.  The 
time  seemed  to  move  so  slowly,  and  it  was  cold  lying  there,  and  they 
began  to  grumble : 

"  Why  don't  they  comej" 

"  Hist,  listen,"  and  both  sprang  to  their  feet.  Suddenly  there 
was  a  crash,  then  a  rumble,  a  clang  of  a  bell,  a  shout  from  the  boys, 
and  they  knew  the  engine  was  coming.  The  advanced  guard  only 
waited  to  know  it  was  rounding  the  corner,  and  then  away  they  flow 
down  the  road  to  the  canal,  looking  for  an  ambush !  They  might 
have  stumbled  into  a  whole  army  of  Fenians  and  never  seen  one  of 
them.     The  agility  they  displayed  that  night  in  getting  over  ground, 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  41 

and  the  shortness  of  time  which  sufficed  to  put  them  alongside  the 
canal,  if  exercised  at  the  Caledonian  games,  would  scarcely  have 
failed  to  insure  them  at  least  one  running  prize. 

I  said  every  house  was  dark  and  silent;  but  you  should  have  seen 
the  change  when  the  noise  of  the  rolling  engine  broke  on  the  air. 
The  front  wheels  had  scarcely  touched  the  pavement  of  the  street, 
when  instantly,  and  as  if  by  magic,  each  house  was  a  glow  of  light. 
Not  any  single  flickering  ray  of  light  shot  out  from  the  windows,  but 
it  actually  appeared  to  the  startled  minds  of  our  classmates  as  if  the 
place  was  wrapped  in  one  general  conflagration.  Truly,  it  seemed  as 
if  each  inhabitant  of  that  detestable  place  had  heroically  agreed  to 
sacrifice  his  home  and  penates  to  the  devouring  flame,  in  order  that 
light  might  be  furnished  to  track  "them  infernal  students."  And  out 
of  every  window  and  door  came  a  head  and  half  of  a  body,  and  out 
of  every  available  hiding  place  came  an  individual,  until  about  forty 
men  had  appeared,  and  they  all  joined  in  pursuit  of  our  friends  who 
were  flying  down  toward  the  canal,  tugging  at  the  old  engine.  Even 
with  this  load  they  fairly  distanced  their  pursuers.  Like  the  scouts, 
the  rest  of  the  party  never  made  better  time.  They  ran  splendidly ; 
too  splendidly  for  Sam  Robbins,  who,  failing  to  keep  up  and  afraid  of 
being  captured  if  left  behind,  got  on  the  engine  and  rode.  While  the 
way  lay  down  hill  the  running  was  easy,  and  all  they  had  to  do  was 
to  guide  the  engine,  and  it  went  fast  enough  of  itself.  But,  alas ! 
they  soon  came  to  a  sandy,  level  bit  of  road,  and  the  sand  clogged 
the  wheels.  They  tried  to  pull  through  it,  but  the  pursuers  were 
gaining  on  them.  They  dropped  the  engine  and  every  fellow  took  to 
his  heels.  They  made  the  bushes  and  hid.  They  heard  the  cries  and 
jeers  of  the  party  pulling  home  the  recaptured  engine ;  heard  the 
footsteps  and  saw  the  lanterns  of  some  who  were  searching  for  them, 
and  when  all  these  sounds  had  subsided  they  slunk  home  cautiously 
through  fields  and  along  hedges.  Cookey  was  caught  around  the 
neck,  but,  you  know,  Cookey  isn't  fat,  and,  after  exhorting  the  fellow 
to  let  him  go,  and  declaring  dire  threats  of  making  him  a  target  for 
pistol  practice  if  he  didn't,  Cookey  just  slid  from  between  his  arms 
and  took  to  his  heels  and  away  he.  did  go.  Not  all  went  home 
either,  for  one,  the  smallest  of  the  party,  was  so  incautious  as  to  walk 
directly  into  the  arms  of  a  formidable  looking  snob,  and  while  he  was 
forced  to  give  himself  up,  his  spirit  almost  vanished  also.  He  was  so 
badly  frightened. 

Shaw  and  Badeau  in  the  meantime  were  still  making  capital  time. 
They  reached  the  canal,  went  along  ifc  at  a  break-neck  speed,  and 
dashed  into  Potters  woods.  Here  was  the  only  place  on  the  whole 
road  at  which  they  stopped,  and  they  had  good  canst'  to  stop;  for 
some  dim  mysterious  figure  was  seen  stalking  along  down  the  road 
right  toward  them.  Out  came  Shaw's  pistol  ;  a  sharp  report  followed, 
and  with  a  savage  bellow  an  old  cow  turned  and  went  at  a  swift  gait 
up  the  road  in  front  of  them.  In  due  time  they  reached  Badeau's 
room.     They  sat  down.     They  looked  at  each  other. 


42  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  74. 

"Oh,  Lord !"  said  Badeau. 

"Oh,  Lord  !"  echoed  Shaw. 

They  held  some  further  conversation  of  this  entertaining  nature 
and  then  retired,  after  expressing  a  mutual  hope  that  none  of  their 
companions  had  been  hurt  or  captured. 

But  alas  !  how  futile  are  human  hopes  !  Before  the  Chapel  bell 
rang  next  morning,  a  rumor  had  circulated  through  the  College  that 
an  attempt  had  been  made,  during  the  night,  to  steal  the  Queenstown 
fire-engine ;  that  the  plan  had  almost  been  successful,  and  that  a  stu- 
dent had  been  captured  and  was  now  in  jail  awaiting  his  trial.  How 
mad  the  initiated  few  were.  Had  they  only  known  on  the  previous 
night  that  "Zachary "  Taylor  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  evil  men, 
how  eagerly  and  gladly  would  they  have  rushed  to  the  rescue.  They 
vowed  that  there  would  have  been  fewer  independent  voters  in  New 
Jersey,  had  any  one  attempted  to  interfere.  They  expressed  them- 
selves in  glowing  terms ;  they  expatiated  on  the  meanness  of  allowing 
a  classmate  to  rot  in  a  dungeon,  while  strong  arms  and  willing  hearts 
could  be  found  in  abundance.  You  have  no  idea,  you  who  didn't  hear 
them  I  mean,  you  have  no  idea,  how  fiery  eloquent  they  got.  I  re- 
member Ave  had  Prof.  Schanck  in  physiology  that  morning.  Some 
daring  soul  mounted  the  steps  leading  to  the  chemical-room,  and  held 
forth  in  the  strain  noted  above.  The  Professor  lectured  to  empty 
seats  that  morning,  if  he  lectured  at  all.  Some  fellow  shrieked 
"  74  to  the  rescue ;"  and,  with  the  exception  of  a  very  few  brilliant 
examples  of  noble  independence,  we  flocked  down  to  the  mayors 
oflice,  an  excited  crowd. 

At  first  they  wouldn't  let  us  in  ;  insisted  that  so  large  a  crowd 
couldn't  come  in  ;  but  we  came  in  at  last.  Nor  was  it  "  seventy-fouah  " 
alone.  Don't  you  remember  that  half  the  College  was  at  our  heels'? 
We  pushed  up  stairs,  and  were  carried  by  the  pressure  from  those 
below  right  into  the  august  presence  of  the  formidable  magistrate  of 
the  borough. 

It  took  many  frowns  and  much  red  tape  to  bring  the  room  to  the 
requisite  degree  of  quiet  and  order ;  it  was  packed  so  tightly  that  a 
fly  would  have  experienced  no  little  difficulty  in  reaching  the  floor 
from  the  ceiling. 

"  Bring  in  the  prisoner,"  said  his  honor.  The  prisoner  being 
already  in,  and  the  fact  that  if  he  had  not  been  present,  it  would  have 
required  no  little  exertion  to  bring  him  in  without  taking  the  roof  off, 
made  the  remark  seem  entirely  superfluous,  and  we  indulged  in  a 
titter  ;  which  exhibition  of  levity  in  this  court  of  justice  was  followed 
by  the  loudly-bellowed  admonition,  "  silence."  We  were  then  for  the 
first  time  persuaded  we  were  in  the  presence  of  the  law's  majesty. 
We  had  before  had  some  respect  for  a  court  of  justice,  the  majesty 
of  the  law  !  Was  this  it  ?  We  had  no  time  for  sarcastic  reflections,  for 
poor  Zach  stood  up  with  his  accuser. 

"Which  is  the  prisoner?"  asked  his  honor,  and  the  question  was 
not  uncalled  for.     For  Zach  looked  the  picture  of  innocence,  and  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  43 

other  fellow — look  .at  any  of  them  along  Nassau  street !  Some 
one  had  volunteered  to  go  for  Counselor  Lytle,  and  just  then  lie  ar 
rived.  How  we  all  blessed  him!  We  knew  he  could  get  Zach  off. 
He  sat  down,  and  knit  his  brows ;  he  got  up  and  poised  himself  on 
one  leg  ;  he  spake  in  deep  tones  ;  he  wrote  much  and  talked  little,  and 
looked  supremely  wise.  His  Honor  hemmed  and  haAved,  and  Avhis- 
pered  and  consulted.  They  shook  their  fingers  at  one  another,  with 
"  this  is  the  point,"  and  "  now,  look  here."  We  all  waited  in  anxious 
expectations.  Zach  Avas  the  color  of  his  shirt.  I  don't  mean  by  the 
expression  that  he  was  remarkably  white ;  because  they  had  locked 
him  up  in  a  barn  all  night,  and  he  didn't  look  as  fresh  and  neat  as  he 
does  on  ordinary  occasions.  Well,  you  all  know  what  a  Princeton 
trial  is  :  how  they  lay  down  the  law,  and  threaten  to  send  a  fellow  to 
jail  or  the  penitentiary  ;  how  they  frown  and  expostulate  against  the 
tricks  of  students  and  how  they  finally  dismiss  a  fellow,  to  appear  be- 
fore the  court  in  Trenton,  in  case  he  should  be  needed.  Bail  was  de- 
manded for  Zach.  That  was  a  poser  ;  for  in  default  of  bail  he  would 
be  remanded  to  jail.  Who  could  swear  he  had  enough  money  to  meet 
the  demands  of  the  court  ? 

"I  vill  go  bail,"  and  we  all  looked  to  see  the  wealthy  individual. 
And  who  do  you  think  it  Avas?  Nobody  but  "old  dutch,"  and  avc  all 
thought  "  SteATe  "  a  hero. 

It  is  only  necessary  to  add,  in  conclusion,  that  the  Grand  Jury  in 
Trenton  ignored  the  bill  of  indictment  for  theft,  and  Zach  Avas  never 
needed  in  the  Capital  of  NeAV  Jersey. 


II  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


CHAPTER  III. 

OUR  BURIAL- — -BEING  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  EAST  SOLEMN  RITES  PERFORMED 
OVER  THE  BODIES  OF  THREE  ILLUSTRIOUS  GRECIANS. 

There  is  no  event — if  we  except  our  graduating  week — no  occur- 
rence belonging  so  exclusively  to  74,  as  our  "burial;"  and  there  is 
nothing  that  occurred  during  our  history  as  a  class  of  which  your 
historian  knows  so  little.  There  was  no  other  event  in  which  the 
whole  class  took  a  part,  and,  therefore,  no  other  whose  occurrence  he 
would  more  gladly  narrate ;  but,  alas !  he  was  not  one  of  the  favored 
who  obtained  places  on  the  committee  of  arrangements. 

We  obtained  permission  from  the  Faculty  to  bury  somebody,  or 
something,  and  the  request  for  a  class-meeting,  to  determine  who 
should  go  under  the  sod,  was  also  granted.  It  was  a  momentous 
occasion.  It  took  us  a  long  time,  and  it  required  many  remarks  to 
decide  the  most  important  points  in  our  deliberations.  Brilliant 
speeches  were  delivered,  many  cheers  were  given,  much  discussion 
indulged  in,  and  a  great  deal  of  tobacco  disposed  of,  before  all  the 
ideas  were  sifted  and  the  superfluous  matter  done  away  with.  After 
about  one  hour's  noisy  consideration  of  the  various  motions  made  and 
plans  proposed,  the  examination  of  questions  was  reduced  to  these  two : 
I.  What  are  we  to  do  on  72's  class-day  1 

II.  Who  are  to  be  selected  for  the  arrangement  of  our  plans  ? 

It  was  then  decided  that  those  selected  to  perfect  the  plans  should 
act  as  representatives  of  the  class  in  deciding  "  what  we  were  to  do." 

Then  we  separated.  And  we  didn't  know  one  single  thing  as  to 
what  had  been  done  by  them,  although  they  had  meetings  innumera- 
ble. They  were  the  most  mysterious  body  of  fellows  I  have  ever  seen. 
If  you  asked  them  a  question,  you  couldn't  get  any  answer  except  a 
most  quizzical  expression  of  countenance,  and  a  "  wait  and  you'll  see." 
We,  being  participators  in  the  fun,  did  not  feel  like  waiting  until  we 
saw;  wanted  to  be  in  the  secret,  and  were  justifiably  angry  at  being- 
treated  like  girls,  who  couldn't  keep  a  secret.  But  we  might  growl 
as  much  as  we  pleased,  and  get  as  raging  in  temper  as  we  might,  they 
still  kept  as  reticent  as  Packard  and  as  quiet  as  Ed.  Deems.  It  was 
provoking  to  have  them  know  all  the  secrets,  and  Ave  kept  out  in  the 
dark.  For  my  part  I  didn't  know  what  they  proposed  doing,  until 
one  day  Jimmy  Kiggs  stepped  up  to  me  with  such  a  solemn  face  that 
he  actually  frightened  me.  I  immediately  thought  of  the  most  dire  of 
punishments,  and  that  was,  that  the  class,  convinced  of  my  inefticiency, 
had  resolved  to  oust  me  from  my  responsible  position  as  chronicler  of 
their  deeds.     But,  fortunately,  it  was  not  so. 

"  Come  here,"  said  Jim,  authoritatively,  as  he  grasped  my  arm, 
and  fairly  hauled  me  away  into  an  obscure  corner. 

"  Well,"  I  tremblingly  ventured,  "  what  do  you  want  ?" 

"  I  want  you  to  take  the  part  of  one  of  the  weeping  relicts  in 
our  burial." 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF    74.  45 

When  it  is  remembered  that  I  didn't  know  whom  we  were  going 
to  bury,  yon  can  imagine  that  I  slightly  demurred  to  the  request. 
How  was  I  to  know  but  that  I  might  be  required  to  be  Jim  Johnson's 
weeping  relict,  and  you  will  readily  admit  that  she  would  be  a  charac- 
ter whose  assumption  was  not  to  be  envied  or  desired.  I  therefore 
hesitated,  until  informed  that  there  were  to  be  two  other  weeping  relicts, 
and  that  I  was  to  act  as  the  sorrowing  survivor  of  Aeschylus.  The 
two  others,  I  was  told,  had  accepted,  and  they  were  Bergner  and  Tom 
Ricketts.  As  "  to  the  pure  all  things  are  pure,"  so  to  the  distinguished 
all  things  are  distinguished ;  and,  with  the  promise  of  having  compan- 
ions so  illustrious,  and  a  departed  husband  so  famous,  I  accepted  the 
onerous  position,  not  without  a  regret,  it  must  be  confessed,  for  half 
the  class  had  expected  to  be  appointed  to  speak,  and  I  was  in  that  half. 

But  I  am  anticipating  events.  I  had  forgotten  to  tell  you  that, 
in  the  interests  of  the  class,  I  undertook  to  interview  one  of  the  com 
mittee,  he  who  afterwards  figured  as  Majestic  Mercurius.  He  informed 
me  that,  before  they  had  settled  upon  whom  they  were  to  put  away, 
they  met  forty-one  times,  and  these  times  increased  by  several  ap- 
pendixes and  a  number  of  addenda.  He  said  that  at  the  forty-second 
time  they  had  just  arrived  at  a  faint  conception  of  what  they  wanted, 
and  what  they  were  about.  He  was  absent  at  the  forty- third  meet- 
ing, and  at  it  they  decided  to  bury  J.  Hart.  Think  how  long  it  took 
them  to  decide  on  that,  and  how  much  time  they  wasted.  They 
might  have  known  that  he  would  speedily  fade  out  of  college  life, 
and,  figuratively  speaking,  perish  naturally.  So  what  was  the  use 
talking  of  him. 

Well,  they  did  talk  of  him  and  thought  of  him  for  a  long  time. 
But  there  came  a  revulsion  of  feeling.  Then  they  held  seventy-five 
more  meetings,  with  the  usual  number  of  appendixes  and  addenda. 
DeL.  Nicoll  presided.  They  fought,  and  wrangled,  and  came  mighty 
near  not  having  any  burial  at  all,  until  a  bright  idea  entered  their 
minds,  and  they  cried  "Greek"  with  one  breath.  That  was  just  the 
thing.  There  were  so  many  good  points  and  capital  jokes  to  be 
worked  up  on  that  branch ;  so  many  splendid  hits  to  be  made. 

Yet,  after  they  had  decided,  they  were  as  mysterious  as  ever. 
You  couldn't  worm  a  thing  out  of  them.  They  would  throw  out 
enough  hints  to  make  you  absolutely  crazy  with  curiosity,  but  they 
wouldn't  make  anything  certain.  They  were  so  exasperating  that 
some  of  us  had  a  notion  once  to  drive  them  into  resignation  and  ap- 
point another  committee.  They  forced  us  to  become  so  many  Tantali, 
and  they  personated  the  fruit.  What  a  nice  big  banana  Wallace 
was?  Biggs  and  Whitehill,  what  a  pair!  Sponsler,  what  a  dear, 
delicious  peach  ! 

They  now  averaged  six  meetings  a  week.  And  they  fought 
worse  than  ever.  Each  one  wanted  an  oration,  and,  as  Jimmy  Scar- 
let says,  "  it  was  contrary  to  the  eternal  fitness  of  things  that  all  should 
speak."  They  imparted  the  secret  to  the  class  at  last,  after  our  stock 
of  patience  was  well-nigh  exhausted.  Then  we  began  to  make  huge 
preparations.     Wo  puzzled  our  brains  in  the  endeavor  after  appro- 


40  HISTORY  OK  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 

priate  and  becoming  costumes.  We  expected  lots  of  ladies,  and,  of 
course,  we  must  look  our  best.  Each  one  expected  to  be  the  centre 
of  attraction.  Jimmy  Scarlet  was  appointed  to  make  a  shield  for  the 
swift-footed  Achilles ;  and,  after  weeks  of  persistent  labor,  he  pro- 
duced, in  his  studio,  a  huge  canvass  emblazonment,  decorated  in  the 
highest  style  of  modern  art.  His  work  was  pronounced  a  most 
splendid  success,  and  lie  was  deputed  to  carry  it. 

We  worked  steadily.  No  one  of  the  other  classes  even  imagined 
our  scheme.  We  determined  to  astonish  them  by  our  display,  and 
make  '72  perpetually  grateful  to  us  for  ending  their  class-day  so  finely. 
Weeks  before  commencement  our  plans  were  perfected,  and  we  only 
waited  till  the  time  should  arrive  for  execution. 

The  grave  had  been  dug  the  evening  before.  Everything  was 
ready,  and  all  class-day  we  were  in  a  ferment  of  excitement.  Would 
the  evening  ever  come !  Promenade  concert  passed  so  slowly.  The 
gay  conversation  and  elegantly  attired  forms  of  the  ladies  lost  all  their 
attractions  under  the  influence  of  our  greater  excitement.  We  didn't 
want  to  see  any  girls ;  all  we  wanted,  was  to  have  the  hour  of  meet- 
ing arrive. 

About  half-past  ten  we  all  assembled  at  a  stable  back  of  Mrs. 
Conover's  house,  which  had  been  kindly  loaned  to  us  for  the  occa- 
sion. We  were  a  strange  and  motley  group.  Some  were  dressed  in 
feminine  attire.  Others  were  enveloped  in  sheets,  Avhile  huge  white  hats 
ornamented  their  heads  and  concealed  their  faces  from  the  gaze  of  the 
crowd.  They  looked  ghostly  in  the  flickering  light  which  shone  from 
the  torches  held  in  the  hands  of  a  number.  Some  carried  huge  tin 
horns,  on  which  they  occasionally  blew  a  blast,  which  waked  the 
slumbering  echoes.  Had  any  one  who  was  not  suspecting  a  parade, 
happened  to  spy  us,  he  Avould  have  probably  thought  us  a  band  of 
witches  or  weird  enchanters,  bent  on  some  unholy  expedition,  or  per- 
forming some  mystic  rites.  An  ugly,  skinny,  raw-boned,  angular, 
most  sorry  looking  plug  of  a  horse  was  attached  to  an  old  ricketty 
cart,  on  which  were  placed  the  coffins  of  the  three  worthies  whom  we 
meant  to  entomb.  They  were  piled  one  above  the  other,  and  clear  on 
the  top,  looking  impish  in  the  ghastly  glare  which  the  torches  shed, 
was  Billy  Westervelt.  Billy  struck  a  fiendish  grin  when  we  started, 
and  persevered  therein  throughout  the  whole  of  our  solemnities. 

After  much  confusion,  and  a  great  deal  of  time  had  been  con- 
sumed in  the  search  for  our  respective  places,  we  started.  We  filed 
out  into  Stockton  Avenue  and  slowly  took  up  our  line  of  march  for 
the  College  Campus. 

In  the  meantime,  our  programmes  had  been  widely  distributed 
among  the  crowd  on  the  Campus  and  all  were  apprised  of  our  design, 
the  order  of  the  procession  and  our  exercises.  The  following  is  the 
programme: 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


47 


!  ATTENTION! 


ANDRES  ATHENAIOl! 


COMMEMORATIVE   OF   THK 

TRAGICON    ElSraOFff 


onnoniDnios 


CONDUCTED  BY  THE 

SOPHOMORE  CLASS  OF  PRINCETON  COLLEGE. 


:  of; 


en  all  remind  us 
Wo  can  make  our  lives  sublime, 
And  departing,  leave  behind  us 

Footprints  on  the  sands  of  time." 

OB1TUAL    OBSERVATIONS. 

Expired  in   Hellas,  from  a  deficiency  in   respiration,  at  some  am- 
biguous period,  posterior  to  Troja's  disastrous  destruction,  three 
imperishable  pioneers  of  Hellenic  literature — Demosthenes,  the 
model  stump-speaker;— Homeros,  "the  man  with  an  excited  imagi- 
nation;" and  Aeschylos,  the  immortal  composer  of  tragedious  dis- 
quisitions. How  hypochondriacal  their  geniuses,  which  travers- 
ed, with  indescribable  facility,  the  mazy  and  mysterious  laby- 
rinths of  Greek  construction  ! !    How  copious,  sententious, 
ennobling,  sublime,   awful  their  productions!!!     While 
we  deplore  the  irreparable  loss  which  the  whole  world 
has   sustained,  yet  a  profound  and  everlasting  thank- 
fulness is  implanted  in  our  hearts  when  we  reflect 
that  their  writings,  powerful  testimonials  of  their 
prodigious  intellects  have  been  preserved  for   the 
delectation  and    edification   of   mankind.     (),  ye 
illustrious  Argivcs!     O,  ye  Zeus-born  Hellenes! 
O,    ye   gracious    benefactors !      Though    your 
mortal  remains    are    mingled    with   Grccia's 
soil;     though  your  "souls   have  passed  the 
melancholy  flood  with  that  grim  ferryman 
that  Poets  write   of,    unto   the   kingdom 
of  perpetual  night;"  though  your  native 
land  no  longer  re-echoes  your  harmo- 
nious words,  yet  the  whole  universe  lias 
caught,  up  the  strain,  and  from    Kam- 
tchatka  to  the  Cawc-aries,  your  names 
shall  ever  be  remembered  as 

"Three  of  the  few,  the  immortal  nam 
That  Were  tint  horn  to  die.  " 


48 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


'Let  the  long,  long  procession  go, 
And  let  the  sorrowing  crowds  about  it  grow, 
And  let  the  mournful  martial  music  blow, 
For  three  immortal  Greeks  are  low." 

Lampas.     ! !  O  BASILEUS ! !     Lampas. 

A  Ciiokiambic  Band  of  Euterpe's. 

Music-Breathing  Sons. 

PHORMINX.     [Only  one  in  A  merica.] 

LYRE.  LYRE. 

2  yEOLIAN  (JEWS)  HARPS. 

CITHERA.  CITHERA. 

LAMPAS.  1  BASE  HORN.  LAMPAS. 

(Warranted  to  blow  in  Hexameter  verse.) 

!!THE  SACRED  PRIEST  OF  APOLLO!! 

(Late  of  Delphi,) 

BUCEPHALUS, 

(Bred  on  the  Elysian  Fields,) 

DRAWING  THE 

SEPULCHRAL     CHARIOT. 


LAMPAS. 
THEMISTOCLES. 
EURIPIDES. 
LAMPAS. 


LAMPAS. 
ATISTIDES. 
ARISTOPHANES. 
LAMPAS. 


Three  Weeping  Relicts, 

THE  WIDOWS  DEM0STIIEN0S,  HOMEROS  &  ^ESCHYLOS. 

LAMPAS.  LAMPAS. 

LACRYMOSE  LAMENTERS. 

(Hired  for  the  occasion.) 
The  Shield  of  Swift-footed  ACHILLES  ! 

(ForgedMty  Vulcan,  alias  Jim  Scarlet.) 

LAMPAS.  LAMPAS. 

Beaming,      ~~— !—.„-„, JL—  Beaming, 

Bearer.  .  Bearer. 


Beaming, 
Bearer. 


Beaming, 
Bearer. 


LAMPAS.  §  LAMPAS. 

Following  these  will  be  an  immense  train  of 

Eupatrids,  Geleontes,  Demiurgt, 

Well-greaved  Aciiaeans,  etc.,  etc. 

A  Squad  of  Hoplites  (mounted  police) 

will  be,in  attendance  to  preserve  order. 

BANNERS  AND  ENSIGNS, 

with  touching  inscriptions,  will 

be  dispersed  ^throughout 

the  procession. 


HISTORY  OF  TI1K  CLASS  OF  '74. 


Ill 


The  following  lugubrious 
ID  I  IRQ- IE! 

Will  be  chanted  by  the  procession  "en  masse."* 

!  II EPHTHEMIMERAL,  PROCELEUSMATIC 
ACATALECTIC  METRE!! 
SCHEME. 


V  V  V  V    |   V  V  V  V   |    V  V  V  V    |    V    V    V    V    [ 

V  V  v  I I I  V  V  V 


Tune — [Homeros,  O  Homeros.] 
KE<J'AAH-A. 
Thee,  O  Demosthenes,  are  we  lamenting', 
Sad  are  our  hearts  at  thy  terrible  doom ! 
Neither  thy  yap  nor  thy  ow  could  preserve  thee, 
Stricken  thou  wast  in  thy  glory  and  bloom, 
Stricken  thou  wast  in  thy  glory  and  bloom. 

KE4>AAH-B. 
Homer,  O  Homer!  for  thee  are  we  weeping, 
Weeping  that  thou,  in  thy  glory  shouldst  die! 
On  thy  green  grave  with  our  tears  we  would  mingle, 
Here  a  sweet  spondee  and  there  a  bright  ww 
Here  a  sweet  spondee  and  there  a  bright  nat 

KE<J>AAH-T\ 
iEschylus,  JSschylus,  thee  are  we  wailing, 
Child  of  the  Muses  and  victim  of  Greek! 
Hushed  is  thy  Qopfuvg  by  Prosody  broken, 
Rent  is  thy  jewsharp,  and  pale  is  thy  cheek, 
Rent  is  thy  jewsharp,  and  pale  is  thy  cheek. 

KE<I>AAH-A. 
Kafiape,  Ka/iapf,  thee  are  we  weeping 
Though  thou  hast  left  but  these  mangled  remains; 
Yet  from  their  dust  shall  spring  up,  to  thy  sorrow, 
Year  after  year,  a  great  harvest  of  Castes! 
Year  after  year,  a  great  harvest  of  Canes! 

Ta  Totj  DRAMATOS  PROSOPA. 

o 

Majestic  Mercurius,  W.  H.  Sponsler. 
Sweet-toned  Nestor,  W,  H.  Wiggins. 
Melpomene's  Child,  W.  F.  Henney. 

o 

Exercises  will  commence  ;it  10  P   M. 


50 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OK  '74. 


m , 


Committee  of  Arrangements. 


if  W.  L.  WALLACE,     -     Chairman.  J| 

I*  (1 

I  J-  S.  RIGGS,            A.  R.  WHITEHILL,  If 

1  W.  H.  SPONSLER,     W.  D.  NICHOLAS,  K 

S  C.  O.  DERSHIMER,       DE  L.  NICOLL.  ^J 


t«' 


m. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  51 


As  we  went  down  Nassau  street  and  up  through  the  college 
grounds,  our  cries,  shrieks,  groans  and  bugle-blasts  rent  the  air,  and 
produced  numerous  bands  of  small  "  great  unwashed,"  who  followed 
us,  assisting  materially  in  the  cries  of  lamentation. 

Our  banners  and  illuminations  were  inscribed  with  fitting  and 
appropriate  designs: — "Please  to  translate,  sir."  "Take  down  your 
feet,  sir."  "Don't  spit  on  the  floor."  "  Where  and  why?"  "What's 
the  difference  between  -/PV  and  Ssi  ?  "  They  elicited  shouts  of  laugh- 
ter from  those  who  were  acquainted  with  the  marked  peculiarities  and 
distinctive  features  of  our  Greek  recitation. 

Our  worthy  President  seemed  to  be  especially  delighted  with  the 
clearness  displayed  by  our  talented  and  witty  committee. 

Nicoll  was  "Basileus  ;"  Jo  Parker  had  the  "  Base  Horn  ;"  Wester- 
velt  held  the  reins  on  the  "sepulchral  chariot;"  Funk,  Atherton,  Gep- 
hart,  Marquand,  Bruyere,  and  Canfield,  surrounded  the  "  chariot," 
attired  as,  and  personating,  distinguished  Grecians.  Immediately  be- 
hind the  coffins  came  the  weeping  relicts  of  the  dear  departed.  Rick- 
etts  was  the  wife  of  Homer,  Bergner  of  Demosthenes,  Crawford  of 
Aeschylus.  Then  came  the  lamenters,  and  don't  you  remember  how 
Mose  and  Kit  yelled.  A  fellow  who  was  not  in  their  immediate  vicinity 
can  form  no  conception  of  their  111110-  power  on  that  night.  Then 
came  the  rest  of  the  boys,  strung  out  as  on  the  programme. 

We  arrived  at  the  cannon,  alongside  of  which  was  the  common 
grave,  and  surrounded  the  place  of  interment,  a  sorrowful  and  mourn- 
ing band  We  wept  bitter,  briny  tears,  and  gave  vent  to  our  over- 
whelming grief  in  sighs  and  sobs  of  the  most  heartrending  nature. 
We  pierced  the  air  with  wailing  cries,  and  the  widows  uttered  pierc- 
ing shrieks.  They  refused  to  be  comforted.  Wiggins  gently  twined 
his  stalwart  arm  about  the  slender,  fragile  form  of  each,  and  bade  them 
take  heart ;  he  vowed  he  would  be  a  husband  to  each  of  them,  but 
Mormonism  didn't  suit  their  tastes  ;  they  were  deeply  insulted  by  the 
offer.  So  great  was  the  grief  of  Mrs.  Homer,  and  so  painful  the 
thought  of  her  loss,  that  she  fainted,  and  thus  unseemly  disturbed  the 
solemnities.  Somebody  threw  a  whole  bucket  of  water  over  her,  and 
then  she  wanted  to  lick  that  fellow.  Order  was  restored  and  the  ex- 
ercises proceeded. 

While  a  band  of  selected  choristers  chanted  the  mournful  dirge 
given  above,  the  funeral  pyre  was  lighted  by  the  sacred  Priest  of 
Apollo,  represented  by  Wallace.  Then  he  read  a  solemn  funeral  service, 
which  caused  another  gush  of  violent  emotion. 

Majestic  Mercurius,  Sponsler,  wTas  introduced,  and  delivered  an 
eloquent  harangue,  eulogizing  the  dear  departed,  extolling  their  vir- 
tues, and  lamenting  their  departure.  The  sweet-toned  Nestor,  Wig- 
gins, followed,  interrupted  frequently,  as  had  been  the  previous  orator, 
with  the  usual  sounds  expressive  of  mourning.  He  dwelt  largely 
on  the  irreparable  loss  suffered  by  the  class,  but  especially  on  the 
untold  calamity  which  had  fallen  upon  the  dearly  loved  help-mates 
of  the  departed  sages,  whose  only  stay  and  comfort  they  had  been. 


52  HISTORY  OK  THE  CLASS  OF  74. 

When  he  had  finished,  an  interval  was  given  for  lamentation.  The 
pyre  was  burning  brightly,  and  lit  up  the  faces  of  the  class,  and  the 
ring  of  fair  damsels  who  had  assembled  to  witness  the  pageantry  of 
death. 

In  a  few  moments  Melpomene's  child,  Henney,  ascended  the  bema, 
and,  in  a  tone  expressive  of  resignation  under  affliction,  read  the  fol- 
lowing 

IP  O  IE  DVD : 

Kat  yap\   km  }a/i!  O  land  of  love! 

What  is  it  that  I  see  ? 

The  Sophs  in  mourning  garb  arrayed! 

<l>  i'!  <J>  v\  alas!  ah  me! 

And  would  you  ask  me  why  we  grieve  ? 

And  how  these  woes  befell? 

Ah!  I  must  prav  the  sacred  Nine 

The  .dreadful  tale  to  tell! 

Ye  muses  from  the  blissful  height 

Of  the  Aonian  hill; 

Ye  Nymphs  that  grace  the  woodland  shades, 

And  haunt  the  silver  rill; 

()  ye,  to  whom  the  laurel  wreath 

And  crown  of  Fame  belong — 

Ye  "lories  of  the  ages  past, 

Inspire  my  humble  song ! 

For  men  whose  names  are  as  the  stars 

In  heaven's  azure  bright, 

Forgotten  by  a  careless  world, 

Demand  our  tears  to-night. 

Old   Homer,  with  his  sightless  eyes, 

And  flowing  locks  of  snow; 

And  ^Eschylus,  whose  play  of  life 

Is  ended  here  below; 

Demosthenes,  who  lives  again 

In  Westervelt,  the  small — 

Above  the  bier  of  such  as  these 

Let  tears  of  pity  fall ! 

And  now,  before  we  lay  their  dust 

With  sighs  and  groans  away, 

It  well  befits  us  to  inquire 

How  came  they  here  to-day? 

By  the  iEgean's  silver  wave, 

Peaceful,  great  Homer  slept, 

Unmindful  that  above  his  tomb 

All  Greece,  in  sorrow,  wept. 

By  Princeton's  raging,  dread  "canawl," 

One  mighty  Prof,  held  rule, 

Who  drove  the  meek-eyed  Sophs  about 

Like  boys  in  boarding  school. 

This  lordly  Prof,  one  day  announced 

To  all  the  Sophs,  most  sad, 

That  they,  beneath  his  watchful  care, 

Should  read  the  Iliad. 

We  read  the  book  with  aching  heads, 

We  sighed  its  pages  o'er, 

And  gathered  our  disorder  marks 

From  spitting  on  the  floor. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  74.  53 


At  last  there  came  a  fatal  hour, 

A  joyous,  dreadful  time, 

When  our  great  Prof,  read  oft'  the  song 

In  Derby's  cantering-  rhyme ! 

This  moved  the  world.     ^Egean's  shore 

Gave  up  her  mighty  dead, 

And  swift  to  Nassau's  classic  Halls 

Great  Homer's  spirit  sped  ! 

His  flashing  eye,  and  shadowy  form, 

No  playful  sham  could  be, 

As  in  the  Greek  recitation  room, 

He  faced  Professor  "C !" 

"TG  avOpune,"  the  spirit  said, 
i2  avOpuwe  most  vile, 
And  hast  thou  dared  '/.eytiv  my  song, 
In  Derby's  Kaxog  style? 
And  if  thou  hast,  u  Kafiape, 
Guard  thee  as  best  thou  may  ! 
For  pa  old  Zevg,  no  learned  lore 
Shall  save  thy  /ce^aA?/. 
Then  our  Professor  bold  replied: 
Yapovv  w  'Opspr, 
I  don't  bpau  for  what  cause 
Your  ghost  appears  to  me. 
But  why  I  read  the  Derby  "Trans." 
I  straight  will  7xyu  thee ; 
I  wanted  just  to  "bore"  the  class 
That  had  been  "boring"  me  ! 
"G  Ka/wzpe,"  the  ghost  replied, 
Your  coming  doom  foreknow ; 
And  do  not  dare  to  (Iw'Aopai 
Whene'r  I  edeiu ! 

The  Sophs  shall  spit  tobacco-juice 
Just  when  and  where  they  please; 
And  if  you  try  to  baffle  them, 
I'll  send  you  back  to  itgrease.,i  {Greece.) 
And  now  I'll  whisper  in  your  ear 
What  will  your  wrath  revive  : 
You've  disagreed  with  '74, 
Beware  of  '75  ! 

The  spirit  ceased.     Up  sprang  our  Prof., 
All  trembling  in  his  ire ; 
His  form  was  swelled  to  mighty  bulk, 
His  eyes  they  flashed  with  tire ! 
"Ghost  of  departed  'Ofiepog, 
You  shall  not  me  defy ; 
Although  you  know  the  use  of  XPV 
I'll  teach  you  how  to  (kl ! 
With  that,  from  Greek  roots  on  his  desk, 
(Of  which  there  was  a  row,) 
He  snatched  up  dire  cnv6?2vpi, 
And  smote  a  fearful  blow ! 
On  Homer's  skull  the  dreadful  root 
Descended  with  a  crash ; 
It  dislocated  five  front  teeth, 
And  sent  his  jaws  to  smash  ! 
It  knocked  his  mighty  clavicle 
Into  a  spot  of  grease, 
And  melted  all  his  vertebrae 

8 


54  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  74. 

As  by  some  dire  disease ! 

Thus  fell  old  Homer's  ghost,  at  last, 

(For  ghosts  have  bones,  you  know,) 

And  then  our  Prof,  looked  calmly  on 

The  dreadful  scene  of  woe. 

With  stern  command  he  bade  us  take 

The  pieces  all  away ; 

And  mark  the  dreadful  doom  of  those 

Who  dared  him  disobey ! 

We  gathered  up  the  dear  remains, 

And  brought  them  here  to-night ; 

And  that  is  just  the  reason  why 

You  see  this  doleful  sight. 

"And  yet,"  you  ask,   "what  of  the  rest, 

For  there  are  coffins  three?" 

Ah  !  they  are  but  the  winding  up 

Of  this  dark  tragedy. 

Demosthenes,  whene'er  he  heard 

Of  Homer's  murder  drear, 

He  hastened  at  the  grave  to  shed 

The  sympathizing  tear. 

But  when  he  saw  the  woeful  sight 

His  anger  knew  no  bound ; 

He  sprang  upon  the  Grecian  Prof. 

And  smote  him  to  the  ground. 

"AwSpef  AOavaioi,"  he  cries, 

And  then  his  accents  cease ; 

That  great  and  mighty  orator, 

He  wished  him  back  in  Greece. 

For  quick  the  Prof,  in  anger  shouts : 

"Why  make  you  all  this  stir?" 

"'Twould  be  as  well,  perhaps,  to  speak 

A  little  louder,  wrj" 

The  Ad  was  cast.     Demosthenes 

Fell  dead,  as  thunder-riven ! 

And  vainly  for  his  murdered  friend 

And  vengeance  had  he  striven. 

And  now  a  shoe-box  holds  his  corpse 

Far  from  his  native  land, 

And  o'er  his  gi-ave  our  Princeton  gun 

As  sentinel  shall  stand. 

And  now,  the  saddest  tale  of  all 

Our  Muse  in  tears  shall  tell ; 

For  round  the  theme  bright  Genius  weaves 

Her  soft  and  pleasant  spell. 

That  little,  jewelled,  rosewood  box, 

Which  with  the  rest  you  see, 

Contains  the  dust  of  ^schylus, 

Who  died  of  Prosody  ! 

Our  Prof,  once  nailed  him  to  the  "board  " 

With  harsh,  iambic  bands, 

And  drove  great  Trochees  through  his  head, 

And  Dactyls  through  his  hands. 

His  ankles  Spondees  firm  confined ; 

His  slender  waist  around 

A  network  of  Di-Trochees  harsh 

Most  cruelly  were  bound. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OK  '74.  55 

And  why  all  this?    Because,  inspired, 

He  sang  a  simple  lay, 

And,  careless  of  the  critic's  sneer, 

Held  on  his  joyous  way. 

We  gathered  round  the  black  old  hoard, 

slAiei !  <I>fi)  !  4>f n  ! "  we  cried, 

And  'midst  our  pitying  groans  and  tears 

He  withered  up  and  died. 

We  bore  away  his  mangled  form, 

And  brought  it  here  to  rest, 

Where  not  a  root  shall  him  disturb, 

Or  law  of  verse  molest ! 


"And  what  of  him,"  it  may  be  asked, 

"Who  brought  us  all  this  woe?" 

"Does  he  continue  on  the  earth 

To  wander  to  and  fro ! ' ' 

Mark  well  our  answer :  While  the  wind 

Shall  ruffle  Ocean's  breast; 

While  night  returning  brings  to  man 

The  blessed  boon  of  rest ; 

While  Winter  with  his  icy  touch 

Shall  crown  the  earth  with  snow  ; 

While  speeding  moments  in  their  flight 

Shall  mingle  joy  and  woe; 

While  summer  with  her  lily  hand 

Shall  deck  a  world  with  flowers; 

And  Autumn  touch  with  golden  tints 

The  green  of  Beauty's  bowers ; 

While  man  shall  learn  in  College  Halls 

When  XP7/  is  used  for  Aei, 

And  Freshmen  answer,  year  by  year, 

The  question  "Where  and   Why?" 

So  long,  by  Princeton's  classic  walls, 

That  Prof,  shall  wake  and  sleep, 

Who  murdered  those,  with  ruthless  hand, 

For  whom,  to-night,  we  weep. 

<I>ev,  $>ev !  alas !  ah  me  !  ai !  ail 

How  still  and  cold  they  are ! 

Now  weep,  ye  Sophs !  alas !  farewell ! 

Kai  }  ap,  km  yap,  mi  yap I 

Then  we  wailed  and  w7ept  again,  slowly  made  our  way  through 
the  sympathising  crowd,  and,  retiring  to  the  ball-field,  divested  our- 
selves of  our  funeral  garments.  The  wild,  hideous  voices  died  aw\ay, 
the  mourning  figures  appeared  clad  in  the  vesture  of  every  day  life  ; 
we  repaired  to  the  hotels  and  held  a  wake. 

Thus  ended  our  burial,  universally  pronounced  the  best  Princeton 
had  ever  seen,  and  considered  the  best  she  wrould  see  for  many  years. 

I  had  almost  forgotten  to  speak  of  the  grave  diggers,  who  had 
all  the  enjoyment  of  preparation  on  the  night  before  class  day.  Not 
having  been  favored  with  an  invitation  to  assist,  I  can  do  nothing 
more  than  give  you  their  names :  Bergncr,  Scarlet,  Nicholas,  Nicoll, 
S.  Cooke,  Dersheimer,  Peckett,  Whitehill  and  Riggs,  while  old  Bart 
rendered  material  service  with  the  wheelbarrow. 


56  HJSTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OK  '74. 


SOPHOMORE  YEAR  INCIDENTS. 

How  we  sang  "Where,  Oh  !  where  are  the  verdant  Freshmen!" 
when  we  came  back  at  the  beginning  of  Sophomore  year.  We  sin- 
cerely pitied  the  poor  little  unfortunates  who  were  obliged  to  recite  to 
their  tutors  while  we,  advanced  in  mind  to  giants,  were  honored  to 
meet  Professors.     We  were  large,  extremely  so. 

Of  course,  hazing  began  immediately  ;  and  we  nightly  terrified 
Freshmen,  made  them  sing  songs,  make  speeches,  smoke  pipes,  dance, 
stand  on  their  heads  in  the  corner  and  perform  all  sorts  of  entertain- 
ing and  amusing  feats. 

I  remember  one  night  we  started  for  a  room  away  up  in  the  top 
story  of  Re-union  Hall.  It  was  the  darkest  place  you  could  imagine 
and  we  stumbled  around  uncomfortably  in  the  ascent ;  but  Ave  got  up 
at  last.  We  found  the  Freshmen  whom  we  were  seeking,  comfort- 
ably seated  in  their  rooms,  at  least,  we  imagined  they  were  ;  for  we 
couldn't  get  in  or  even  look  in.  The  provident  young  men  had,  in 
time  of  peace,  prepared  for  war,  and  they  had  a  huge  collection  of 
chairs  and  tables  and  beds  and  sofas  piled  against  the  door.  The  bar- 
ricade resisted  all  our  attempts  at  entrance.  The  only  satisfaction  wo 
had  was  stamping  about  out  in  the  hall,  uttering  terrible  threats,  and 
avowing  dread  vengeance.  But  we  couldn't  persuade  the  Freshmen 
to  let  us  in,  by  any  promises  of  letting  off  easy,  or  in  any  way  at  all. 
So  we  left,  pledging  ourselves  to  administer  a  merited  chastisement 
on  the  next  night. 

Next  night  didn't  disappoint  us  in  its  due  arrival,  and  meeting 
in  front  of  the  Hall,  we  silently  and  cautiously  ascended  the  stairs. 
If  anything,  it  Avas  darker  than  on  the  preceding  night.  Somebody 
kicked  the  door  and  it  came  open  just  a  little  bit.  The  impetuous 
George,  our  fiery  Jacobs,  seized  the  opportunity  and  dashed  into  the 
room.  We  concluded  not  to  follow  him  when  we  saw  the  inside. 
There  stood  an  irate  old  gentleman,  who  fixed  his  eye  on  George,  and 
George  tried  to  get  out.  He  couldn't ;  the  old  gentleman  locked  the 
door  and  put  the  key  in  his  pocket.  He  was  the  father  of  the  Fresh- 
men. We,  on  the  outside,  had  a  big  notion  to  run  ;  but  Ave  considered 
that  the  old  gent  couldn't  see.     So  Ave  stopped  and  listened. 

"  O,  you  bad  boy  !"  said  the  old  gent. 

George  didn't  reply  to  the  salutation. 

"  O,  you  very  bad,  bad  boy  !"  said  the  old  gent  again. 

George  Avas  about  to  say  something,  but  the  old  gent  Avouldn't 
let  him. 

"  Don't  you  knoAv  you  are  a  Arery  bad  boy  ?"  The  old  gent  evi- 
dently expected  an  affirmative  answer.  George  didn't  give  it ;  but  he 
began  to  think  that  he  must  be  horribly  and  reAToltingly  wicked. 

"These  two  boys  are  my  sons,  and  you  were  about  to  torment 
them,  you  bad  boy  !" 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OK  74.  57 


I  could  sec  George  through  the  keyhole.  The  bad  boy  looked  at 
the  two  boys,  and  they  laughed  at  him. 

"Don't  you  know  it  is  very  wrong  to  haze?"  The  idea  had 
never  struck  George  in  that  light.  He  expressed  himself  accordingly, 
and  threw  in,  gratis,  some  words  denoting  deep  contrition. 

Then  the  old  gent  warmed  up,  and  how  he  did  give  it  to  poor  Jake, 
who  sat  there  trembling.  We  would  have  broken  in,  but  we  were 
afraid  the  old  gent  would  button-hole  us,  and  we  already  felt  that  we 
were  degraded  sinners,  not  needing  any  further  condemnation. 

The  old  gent  told  Jake  he  would  use  his  own  pleasure  and  dis- 
cretion about  reporting  him  to  the  Faculty  ;  and  Jake  was  frightened 
until  he  reflected  that  his  name  was  not  known.  Then  imagine  his 
horror  when  he  saw  the  old  gentleman  in  Dr.  McCosh's  recitation  the 
next  day,  and  heard  his  name  called  for  recitation  !  I  tell  you  then 
Jake  was  scared  ;  so  scared  he  couldn't  recite  with  his  usual  brilliancy, 
and  sat  down  after  a  very  abrupt  "  that  will  do  to-day,  sir." 

We  had  our  cane  spree  with  '75.  We  thought  we  beat  them, 
and  they  thought  they  beat  us ;  so  the  affair  ended  amicably  on  all 
sides.  John  Reid  performed  prodigies  of  valor,  and  spoiled  his  fame 
by  talking  about  his  deeds. 

About  this  time  the  "  Bloods  of  '74  "  were  formed.  It  was  a 
society,  and  a  mighty  society.  It  consisted  of  Paton,  Neff,  Van  De- 
venter,  Williamson,  Walker,  Loose  and  Crawford. 

They  did  lots  of  things — kindled  numbers  of  fires,  tore  down 
lots  of  fences  and  gates,  smashed  lots  of  lamps,  etc. — but  their  crown- 
ing feat  was  the  publishing  and  placarding  our  proclamation  to  '75. 
They  called  in  some  fellows  to  assist  them,  and  these  afterwards  be- 
came members.  The  society  didn't  exist  long  after  the  issuing  of  the 
proclamation.  That  feat  was  too  much  for  them ;  it  took  all  their 
energy.    This  Avas  the  proclamation  : 

FRESH!    FRESH! 

Whereas  it  has  seemed  fit  to  the  Guardian  Angel  of  Nassau  Hall  to 

move  our  hearts  with 

Compassion 

For  the  fresh  and  tender  band  of  young  hopefuls  (?)  who  have  so  lately 

come  among  us  ;  and  whereas,  we  recognize  and  appreciate 

The  Cheerful  Manner 

With  which  they  have  submitted  to  our  restrictions  in  all  manners 

and  forms :  therefore  be  it  resolved,  that  we,  the  Class  of  '74, 

do  hereby  grant 

Permission 

To  the  Freshmen  to  carry  canes,  without  any  molestation  from  said 

class,  on  and  after  Chapel  stage  week.     In  affirmation  of  which 

we  do  hereby  affix  our  hand  and  seal,  on  this  the  23d  day  of 

October,  A.  D.  1871. 

[seal.]  Class  of  '74. 


)8  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


There  was  a  deal  of  fun  sticking  up  those  placards.  We  stuck 
them  every  place;  were  getting-  along  finely  and  just  about  through, 
when  up  went  a  window  in  East,  and  Badeau  stuck  his  head  out. 
Into  that  head  entered  the  idea  we  were  burglars.  He  forthwith  got 
out  his  pistol  and  began  shooting  and  bawling  "thieves!  thieves!" 
How  we  did  go  behind  trees!  And  we  had  to  stand  there  until  Ba- 
deau had  emptied  all  the  chambers  of  his  revolver. 

We  tried  to  get  up  a  class  cut  in  the  first  session,  and  made  a 
most  egregious  fizzle.  Some  of  the  class  were  sent  away  for  hazing, 
and  we  heroically  determined  to  bring  them  back  or  perish  with  them. 
We  would  defeat  the  projects  and  decrees  of  the  Faculty.  Yes,  indeed, 
we  would.  We  would  show  them  we  had  some  spirit  and  spunk, 
and  wouldn't  be  made  children  of.  They  shouldn't  send  us  home 
with  impunity  and  no  one  raise  a  dissenting  voice.  Hanged  if  they 
should.  We  raved  around,  and  stormed  and  swore  we  would  have 
our  rights  and  our  classmates  restored.  We  made  big  calculations. 
Whigs  and  Clios  met  in  their  respective  Halls,  and  transacted  lots  of 
business ;  held  huge  indignation  meetings.  We  appointed  a  com- 
mittee with  a  high-sounding  name :  The  High  Joint  Commission  for 
Inquiring  into — we  didn't  know  what.  They  met  the  Faculty  and 
tried  to  scare  them.  The  Faculty  would  not  scare  worth  a  cent.  The 
fellows  couldn't  come  back  till  the  Faculty  chose  to  let  them.  Then 
we  made  a  great  show  of  starting  to  our  rooms  to  pack  our  trunks, 
and  go  home.  But  nobody  went.  Some  fellows  more  sensible  than 
the  rest,  moved  that  we  be  prudent  and  go  back  to  recitation.  We 
wouldn't  do  it,  and  got  mad  at  the  dissenters.  We  vowed  vows  of 
vengeance  against  them.  We  would  never  speak  to  them ;  never 
have  the  least  particle  of  a  thing  to  do  with  them  ;  never.  After  all 
our  threats  were  exhausted,  we  ended  by  sternly  declaring  that  we 
wouldn't  vote  for  any  of  them  for  any  of  the  class-day  orations. 
We  considered  that  the  crowning  act  of  vengeance.  But  to  make 
them  suffer  more  deeply  from  our  censure,  your  historian,  after  re- 
peated requests,  solemnly  promised  and  assured  the  generous  body  of 
"Cutters,"  that  he  would  write  a  perfectly  scathing  account  of  the 
reprobates,  to  be  published  in  the  immortal  pages  of  our  Class  History 
and  to  go  down  to  posterity  as  a  lasting,  enduring  monument  of  their 
infamy  and  perfidy. 

We  fumed  around  for  a  whole  day,  then  crawled  into  recitation 
and  tried  to  imagine  we  had  not  endeavored  to  get  up  a  cut. 

Jake  Walker,  Billy  Smith  and  some  more  fellows  used  to  cut  up 
in  Chapel.  Their  conduct  didn't  meet  Avith  the  approbation  of  the 
Faculty,  and  they  left  us  for  some  days,  to  meditate  in  the  retirement 
of  their  homes.  * 

We  had  an  election  on  November  25th,  and  speeches  and  a  bon- 
fire in  the  evening.  '74  was  represented  on  the  rostrum  by  Gov.  M. 
Smith,  of  South  Carolina,  Maj.  Gen.  W.  H.  Sponsler,  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  other  distinguished  gentlemen. 

We  got  so  proud  of  our  abilities  on  the  foot-ball  field,  that  instead 
of  challenging  classes  we  used  to  throw  down  our  gauntlet  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  59 

whole  College.     But  we  were  always  sharp  enough  to  wait  until  there 
were  but  few  on  the  Campus ;  then  we  would  go  in. 

Jerry  Bingham,  one  night,  unwittingly  walked  into  a  room  where 
some  Freshmen  were  regaling  themselves.  Jerry  got  too  sociable  and 
communicative  after  a  while.  In  the  course  of  his  remarks  he  let  slip 
some  remarks  eulogizing  '74  and  detracting  from  the  merits  of  '7o. 
Those  then  and  there  assembled  laid  violent  hands  on  Jerry :  they 
administered  a  practical  lesson  on  the  government  of  the  tongue.  They 
stood  Jerry  on  his  head,  in  the  corner,  with  his  face  to  the  wall.  He 
left,  when  released,  uttering  dire  threats,  to  be  put  in  execution  when 
lie  caught  them  by  themselves. 

We  had  a  great  many  fires  in  Soph  year,  and  the  boys  were  very 
heroic  on  some  occasions.  They  used  to  rescue  valuable  furniture  and 
carry  it  to  safe  places.  They  got  their  clothes  spoiled  and  enjoyed 
themselves.  Once  a  crowd,  assembled  to  witness  a  conflagration,  were 
highly  delighted  with  the  sight  of  S.  Cooke  and  Van  Deventer,  hurry- 
ing out  of  the  house  and  across  the  street,  carrying  in  each  hand — 
unmentionable  articles  of  chamber  furniture.     Jake's  spilled. 

One  night  Williamson  and  another  fellow  were  enjoying  a  stroll, 
and  warbling  sweetly  (?)  as  only  they  could  warble,  when  a  blind  was 
turned,  the  outline  of  a  female  form  was  plainly  seen.  Imagination 
did  the  rest.  It  must  be,  it  couldn't  be  any  other  than  some  beautiful 
girl,  charmed  by  the  entrancing  melody  of  their  music.  They  stopped 
under  her  window  and  sang.  Oh !  how  they  sang.  It  was  magnifi- 
cently discordant.  There  they  staid  for  about  half  an  hour,  and  every 
moment  the  shutter  came  further  open.  They  remembered  the  tales 
of  romance  and  chivalry,  and  records  of  notes  dropped  by  admiring 
females  from  airy  balconies.  They  watched  for  the  note  ;  or,  perhaps 
it  might  be  a  glove  ;  or,  she  might  lean  too  far  over  and  drop  her- 
self. They  waited  anxiously,  and  whispered  low  endearing  terms. 
Suddenly,  open  wide  flew  the  shutter,  and  out  came,  not  the  fair 
Urecian  head,  crowned  with  a  glorious  circle  of  golden  hair,  which 
they  had  imagined,  but  the  ugliest,  blackest  old  wench  you  ever  saw, 
with  the  most  horribly  woolly  head  you  could  ever  imagine.  Their 
explosion  was  moderate;  they  restrained  themselves.  "The  Devil !" 
was  all  they  said,  and  left. 

Lyman  Biddlc  used  to  tell  me  that  he  wanted  me  to  write  a  long 
account  of  some  night  ramble,  or  dark  spree,  in  which  he  took  part, 
and  which  occurred  at  Lawrenceville.  It  must  have  been  a  terrible 
affair,  for  I  never  saw  a  man  so  reticent  and  mysterious.  He  used  to 
nod,  and  wink,  and  look  solemn,  all  in  turn,  in  the  oddest  and  most 
mystifying  way.  He  never  would  tell  me,  but  directed  me  constantly 
to  some  other  participator.  The  story  was  either  awful  for  him  to 
nan-ate,  or  else  he  took  a  most  prominent  part  in  the  affair,  ami  was 
afraid  that,  on  account  of  his  proverbial  modesty,  he  wouldn't  do  him 
self  justice.  Whatever  was  the  reason,  the  class  has  undoubtedly  lost 
the  recital  of  a  highly  entertaining  and  diverting  anecdote. 

Since  writing  the  above,  L  have  Learned  the  reason  of  Lyman's 


60  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 

reticence.     No  wonder  he  didn't  want  to  tell.     It  was  an  awful  crowd 
for  one  so  young  and  fair  to  be  with. 

Briefly  told,  the  story  is  this :  They  hired  a  hay-wagon  from  Gu- 
Gulick  and  went  down  to  Lawrence.  They  got  off  at  the  school ; 
broke  into  the  school-room  and  tore  it  completely  up  ;  and  then 
wakened  everybody  by  ringing  the  bell.  As  soon  as  people  began  to 
move  around,  they  mounted  their  wagon  and  drove  off  toward  Pen- 
nington. On  their  way,  they  saw  a  cornfield  and  they  set  it  on  fire. 
Then  satisfied  with  proceedings,  they  came  home.  Is  it  any  wonder 
Lyman  kept  silent? 


JUNIOR    YEAR. 

CHAPTER  I. 

OUR  OARSMEN BEING  A  REVIEW  OF  '74's  BOATING  CAREER    FROM    FRESH- 
MAN YEAR  LP  TO  THIS  TIME. 

Seventy-four,  throughout  all  her  course,  but  especially  in  Junior 
year,  had  a  boat  crew.  It  was  at  a  time  when  a  gymnastic  furore  had 
settled  upon  the  whole  College.  Dumbbells  and  Indian  Clubs  were 
the  order  of  the  day.  Every  room  became  a  miniature  gymnasium. 
Tape  lines  were  daily  brought  into  requisition,  and  the  biceps  began 
to  be  most  studiously  observed.  Billy  Westervelt,  even,  was  seized 
with  the  mania,  and,  forgetting  his  oratorical  resolve,  might  have  been 
seen  any  day  in  the  gymnasium,  diligently  hauling  at  the  weights  or 
describing  graceful  curves  on  the  rings.  Compton  attended  for  a 
while  quite  regularly,  until  he  hit  himself  several  times  on  the  head 
with  the  clubs,  and  then  he  desisted.  Fatty  Lewis  went  one  day, 
but  finding  himself  locked  in  when  he  wanted  to  go  to  dinner,  and, 
on  account  of  the  detention,  arriving  late  at  that  meal,  he  resolved 
that  the  welfare  of  his  stomach  was  of  more  consequence  than  the 
acquisition  of  muscle,  and  never  went  again.  Berg  and  Jai  forewent 
the  pleasures  of  loafing  in  their  sanctum  and  practised  daily.  One 
unacquainted  with  the  vacillating  character  of  our  friends,  might  have 
thought  that  this  change  for  the  better,  this  praiseworthy  start  in  the 
work  of  reform,  would  be  permanent,  and  would  be  followed  up  with 
greater  efforts  by  the  occupants  of  No.  3  North  Reunion.  But  the 
principle  was  not  deep-seated,  and  they  relapsed  into  a  worse  state 
than  they  were  in  before.  For,  before  this  melancholy  time,  they 
daily  promised  to  get  new  chairs,  and  fix  their  room  up  nice  and  com 
fortable  for  visitors;  but  from  this  time  forward  they  made  no  prom- 
ises, and  got  positively  impudent  when  any  one  kindly  remonstrated 
with  them.  And,  in  addition  to  having  broken  furniture,  they  per- 
sisted in  keeping  on  their  mantel-piece  two  of  the  most  horrible, 
worst-looking  statuettes  that  ever  shocked  the  poorest  aesthetic  taste. 

But  the  fellows  of  whom  I  am  now  writing,  were  men  of  a  differ- 
ent stamp — they  were  determined  on  the  cultivation  of  their  muscle — 
and  so  74  had  a  boat  crew  in  Junior  year.  A  genuine  boat  crew— a 
crew  possessed  of  lots  of  strength  ;  heavy-weights,  in  fact. 

Not  like  that  miserable  affair  in  Fresh  year,  of  which  every  one 
was  captain,  and  in  which  Bradford  pulled  stroke,  and  Gordon  bow. 
Cordon  was  the  worst  bow-oar  you  can  imagine;  he  invariably  ran 
into  a  bank  in  every  hundred  rods,  or  hit  his  head  on  a  bridge,  and 
rudely  expletived  against  both  banks  and  bridges.  And  that  was 
altogether  the  funniest,  crew  you   ever  saw,  with   one  brilliant    excep- 

i> 


62  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 

tion,  viz :  Billy  Sponsler's  crew  in  Soph  year,  in  which  Billy  pulled 
stroke,  or  rather  the  worst  combination  of  crabs  and  strokes  that  ever 
pained  the  sensitiveness  of  an  oarsman. 

I  nsed  to  go  out  with  both  crews,  and  I  know  how  they  worked. 
They  used  to  have  harder  luck  than  any  crowd  of  fellows  I  know, 
especially  the  Fresh  year  crew.  They  would  always  find  the  railroad 
bridge  swung  back,  the  boat  house  within  the  aggravating  distance 
of  fifty  feet,  and  no  way  of  getting  at  it  except  by  walking  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  to  one  of  the  other  bridges  ;  and  after  arriving  at  that  point, 
they  were  always  sure  to  find  that  bridge  unswung,  and  the  fellow  at 
supper,  from  which  repast  lie  would  not  rise  until  he  had  finished ;  or 
just  as  they  would  come  down  the  Canal  street  road  their  eyes  would 
be  gladdened  by  the  sight  of  about  sixty  canal  boats,  numerous  schoon- 
ers and  a  sprinkling  of  tugs,  all  passing  that  point, — and  they  were 
obliged  to  wait.  When  they  would  get  to  the  boat-house  and  bring 
the  boat  out,  they  would  pretty  nearly  upset  getting  in  ;  and  when 
the  word  was  given  "to  trim  boat,"  I  have  seen  them  all  go  to  one 
side  of  the  boat  and  thereby  disturb  the  equinimity  of  all  on  board. 

In  addition  to  these  obstacles  and  discomfitures,  no  one  at  the  canal 
knew  them  ;  no  bridge-keepers  would  swing  open  the  bridges,  and  the 
keepers'  children  would  shamefully  maltreat  them.  I  have  known  the 
little  urchins  to  get  on  the  bridge,  and  while  the  boys  were  pushing 
under,  all  lying  flat  on  their  backs  in  the  boat  to  avoid  striking  their 
heads,  the  ragamuffins  would  drop  sand  and  fine  gravel  down  into  their 
faces.  At  such  times  Gordon  always  wanted  to  get  out  and  fight,  but 
he  was  restrained. 

And  Billy's  crew  in  Soph  year  was  just  as  bad.  I  never  saw  a 
crew  catch  so  many  crabs,  and  fall  around  so  much  in  a  boat.  They 
were  continually  meeting  with  mishaps,  running  into  the  bank  and 
staving  in  the  bow,  or  breaking  an  out-rigger,  or  unshipping  the  rud- 
der. One  day,  late  in  the  spring,  they  got  bold  and  made  a  resolve 
that  henceforth  they  would  row  with  their  shirts  off,  bare-backed. 
They  only  tried  it  two  days  ;  and  for  two  weeks  thereafter  you  couldn't 
go  near  them  to  touch  them  without  being  pretty  nearly  annihilated. 
Their  backs  were  all  blistered  and  they  felt  so  sore. 

But  the  crew  I  started  to  speak  of,  was  like  neither  of  these; 
they  were  made  of  sterner  stuff.  The  were  plucky  and  strong,  they 
didn't  run  into  banks,  for  Fred  was  a  splendid  steerer  ;  they  didn't 
burn  their  backs,  because  they  were  not  such  fools  as  to  take  off  their 
shirts.  There  were  Dave  and  Fred  and  Mosc  and  Lyman  and  Jake 
and  Snooze.  Snooze  pulled  stroke  and  Fred  pulled  bow.  I  believe  it 
an  established  rule  in  rowing,  that  the  lightest  man  shall  always  be 
put  in  the  bow.  They  went  out  rowing  every  morning ;  and  you 
could  always  tell  when  they  were  going  out,  so  that  if  you  desired  to 
sec  a  really  fine  exhibition  of  rowing,  all  that  was  necessary  was  to 
get  up  early,  and  go  down  to  the  canal. 

On  each  evening  directly  after  mail,  up  to  Reunion  they  would 
saunter,  one  after  another,  and  each  one  raise  his  voice  in  an  imploring 
appeal  to  Jake  to  wake  them  in  the  morning.     This  point  settled,  off 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  63 

they  would  wander,  and  the  boat  crew  was  forgotten  until  the  follow- 
ing morning  about  five  o'clock,  when  Jake's  stirring  voice  would  be 
heard  calling  his  sleeping  crew  from  their  slumbers,  and  bidding  them 
prepare  for  a  row.  And  then  the  occupants  of  the  College  buildings 
used  to  pour  down  maledictions  on  Jake's  head  for  rousing  them  at 
such  an  unseasonable  hour.  It  was  this  rising  so  early,  and  this 
severe  training  which  caused  such  a  diminution  in  flesh  in  the  per- 
sons of  Buck  and  Mose,  and  made  Lyman  so  sprightly  and  athletic. 

One  morning  they  got  under  way  finely  ;  everything  was  working 
like  a  charm;  every  fellow  was  doing  his  best;  "the  spruce  blades 
bent  as  they  sent  the  spray  in  glittering  showers  far  astern."  Not  a 
hair  was  turned;  not  a  drop  of  perspiration  was  seen;  not  a  single 
labored  breath  had  been  drawn.  Suddenly  a  canal  boat  hove  in  sight. 
"Can  we  pass  it?" 

"Yes,  easily,"  said  Buck;  but  the  pesky  thing  swung  into  the 
middle  of  the  channel. 

"Let  us  go  under  the  rope,"  said  Fred,  looking  around. 

Under  the  rope  they  started  to  go,  when  suddenly  it  tightened 
and  caught  an  outrigger. 

"Let  us  jump,"  said  Lyman,  springing  up. 

"  Sit  still,"  cried  Fred  in  stentorian  tones,  (for  his  tones  are  sten- 
torian, except  when  he  tries  to  sing  tenor). 

"  But  we  shall  be  droAvned,"  shrieked  Lyman. 

"  Hit  him  with  an  oar,"  yelled  Mose. 

All  this  time  the  boat  was  rocking  from  side  to  side,  taking  in 
water  and  threatening  to  go  under  at  every  lurch ;  and  Lyman,  who 
had  risen  to  his  feet,  was  plunging  about  most  recklessly. 

"  If  you  don't  sit  down,  I'll  drown  you  myself,"  growled  Dave. 

But  Lyman  wouldn't  be  seated,  until  some  one,  not  kindly,  but 
forcibly,  assisted  him. 

Reader,  think  of  submersion  under  that  storm-tossed  sheet  of 
raging  water ;  think  of  what  a  damp,  wet,  disagreeable  resting-place 
that  would  be ;  think  of  lying  among  the  hulls  of  once  stately  canal 
boats,  heaps  of  boat  treasures,  and  remuants  of  defunct  felines  and 
canines,  whose  necks  having  been  furnished  with  amulets,  had  been 
hurled 

"Anywhere,  anywhere 
Out  of  the  world." 

When  you  allow  your  mind  to  cognize  these  fearful  images,  can  you 
wonder  at  the  trepidation  of  our  friend?  Who  can  tell  how  thoughts 
of  home  and  friends  loomed  up  before  him  as  he  gazed  upon  the 
cruel,  cruel  water  ?  Oh !  Freddy,  and  Mose,  and  Dave,  you  fellows 
should  have  remembered  that  you  could  swim,  but  that  Lyman  was 
not  a  wharf-rat.  You  ought  to  have  respected  his  feelings,  and  not 
made  fun  of  him  so  meanly.  They  were  not  upset;  the  boat  was  dis- 
engaged and  they  proceeded  on  their  way. 

This  is  but  a  specimen  of  the  dangers  through  which  these  in- 
trepid navigators  were  obliged  to  pass  in  their  arduous  endeavors  in 
the  way  of  training.     In  going  under  a  bridge,  Freddy  would  always 


64  niSTOBT  OF  THE  CLASS  Oh'  '74. 

imagine  some  one  was  too  high,  and  when,  with  commendable  gener- 
osity, lie  would  raise  his  own  head  to  tell  him  of  it,  a  sharp  rap  against 
the  wood  would  serve  to  remind  him  that  self-preservation  is  the  first 
law  of  nature. 

These  fellows  rowed  a  race  once  with  the  University  Crew,  in 
which  the  latter  gave  them  one  minute's  start.  They  beat  the  'Varsily, 
but  when  they  came  in  they  all  looked  remarkably  like  a  wornout  lot 
of  humanized  porpoises. 

By  the  law  of  association,  a  story  relative  to  the  canal  comes  to 
my  mind,  and  although  the  incident  occurred  in  Senior  year,  I  will 
tell  it  now.  It  is  about  John — John,  who  roomed  in  North,  and  came 
from  Pennsylvania — John,  who  sat  beside  Ilenny  and  talked  so  much 
in  recitation — that  Rope-in. 

You  all  remember  the  excitement  which  was  felt  in  Princeton  on 
the  occasion  of  the  discovery  that,  a  crime  had  been  committed  on  the 
borders  of  the  canal.  And  you  doubtless  all  remember  how  many 
vigilance  committees  were  started  to  ferret  out  the  author  of  the 
crime  ;  how  Spons,  and  Jim  Scarlet,  and  Berg,  had  a  chain  of  circum- 
stantial evidence  in  which  was  wanting  but  one  link,  and  that  was 
the  one  by  which  the  chain  was  to  be  fastened.  Well,  John  was  at 
the  head  of  one  of  these  committees,  and  as  he  in  consequence  took  a 
great  interest  in  its  success,  he  determined  to  go  to  the  scene  of  the 
murder  and  impure,  and,  if  need  be,  confront  some  person  with  the 
villainy.  So,  marching  boldly  up  to  the  tavern  at  the  basin,  John  ac- 
costed the  proprietor  of  "ye  ancient  hostelry,"  Mr.  C . 

"Good  morning,  Mr.  C ,"  said  John. 

"Ugh,  good  morning,  sir,"  responded  Mr.  C . 

"Fine  morning,  Mr.  C ;  a  little  frosty,  hut  fine." 

"Yes ;  what's  the  news  at  Princeton  about  that  little  affair  down 
here  ?  " 

"  Well,"  said  John  boldly,  "  they  have  their  suspicions  on  the 
man  that  did  it." 

"  They  have,  hey  !    Who  do  they  say  did  it?  " 

"  Why,  they  say  you  murdered  him,  Mr.  C ." 

"The  devil  they  do,"  was  the  angry  response  to  John's  direct 
attack. 

John,  with  a  look  of  great  surprise :  "  Why,  didn't  you.  Mr. 
G g 

*  Words  in  italics  are  to  be  read  with  a  rising  inflection. 


HISTORY  OF   THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  65 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  COTERIE. 


There  was  another  institution  in  Junior  year,  in  addition  to  the 
boat  club.  Its  originators  deserve  mention,  and  the  date  of  its  foun- 
dation ought  to  be  noted,  for  though  possessed  of  but  few  members, 
it  exerted  a  great  influence  in  our  class,  and  proved  very  beneficial  to 
those  who  were  fortunate  enough  to  gain  admittance  to  its  esoteric 
circle.  It  was  "  the  Coterie."  tt  was  started  in  the  winter  of  Junior 
year.  The  original  idea  of  its  founders  was  to  make  it  a  reading 
club,  and  its  meetings  were  to  be  open  for  any  disputations  concern- 
ing any  subject  in  the  wdiole  field  of  literature.  So,  you  see,  nothing 
could  be  argued  against  the  wideness  of  its  scope.  I  attended  some 
of  their  meetings,  and  found  them  extremely  interesting,  although  on 
some  occasions  the  disputes  ran  high  and  diverged  strikingly  from  the 
original  subject  under  debate.  It  was  founded  by  Billy  Sponsler, 
Jai  Stuart,  Bergner,  Jim  Scarlet,  and  some  other  fellow  whom  I  never 
met  at  any  meetings,  and  who,  I  therefore  imagine,  was  not  a  very 
active  nor  brilliant  member. 

Billy  used  to  read  Shakspeare  and  his  voice  used  to  sound  grand- 
ly, and  his  renditions  of  favorite  passages  were  excellent.  The  more 
you  would  talk  to  him,  the  more  he  would  read,  and  so  they  used  to 
poke  at  him  and  keep  him  reading  all  night  long.  The  beauty  about 
it  was,  that  Billy  was  accommodating  enough  to  do  it,  and  he  favored 
us  at  every  request,  until  one  night  Jai  made  fun  of  him,  "because  he 
hadn't  any  inflection  and  never  changed  his  voice  up  or  down."  What 
did  Jai  know  about  inflection  ?  Billy  argued,  and  then  made  fun  of 
the  up  and  down  part  of  the  sentence.  But  Jai  wasn't  to  be  put  off 
that  way,  and  called  Billy  "Boom!  Boom!"  for  a  long  time  after- 
ward. 

Well,  after  Billy  had  finished  Shakspeare,  some  one  else  would 
read  from  another  author.  Then  some  one  would  get  out  an  essay 
and  read  it,  and  all  would  pass  criticisms  upon  it.  The  latter,  however, 
was  only  done  on  special  occasions,  that  is,  the  reading  of  the  whole 
paper ;  but  no  fellow  ever  wrote  a  pretty  sentence  that  did  not  receive 
the  approbation  and  applause  of  all.  No  one  performed  a  doubtful 
act  or  indulged  in  any  vice  to  too  great  an  extent,  that  he  was  not 
sharply  reprimanded  therefor. 

During  their  incipiency,  they  were  quiet,  peaceable,  not  easily 
moved  to  anger  one  against  the  other.  But  after  awhile  the  novelty 
of  the  reading  wore  off,  and  they  had  recourse  to  other  means  of 
spending  the  meeting  night.  They  then  got  up  the  worst  little 
squabbles.  A  member  couldn't  make  a  remark,  but  some  one  would 
declare  a  word  in  it  was  wrongly  used.  I  knew  them  to  argue  two 
days  and  a  half  on  the  meaning  of  one  word,  and  they  didn't  settle  it 
after  all.     If  you  pronounced  a  word  a  little  doubtfully,  the  whole 


66  history  of  tiii;  class  or  71. 

crowd  would  be  at  you,  and  after  agreeing  together  that  you  were 
wrong,  they  would  invariably  disagree  as  to  which  of  themselves  was 
right.  One  time,  I  remember,  they  got  up  a  dispute  on  the  pronun- 
ciation of  "  Belvedere,"  and  even  Jai  couldn't  settle  the  point,  though 
he  was  "awful  on  prowotmciation."  They  sent  a  delegation  to  look 
at  the  dictionary;  it  went,  returned  and  reported  the  word  as  being 
inflected  in  its  way.  Another  was  started  and  came  back  disagreeing 
with  the  first,  and  declaring  the  pronunciation  as  it  had  previously 
said.  Finally,  they  all  went  in  a  body,  and  found  that  none  had  been 
right. 

Again  they  started  an  argument — Jai  and  Billy  did ;  they  used 
to  start  them  all.  They  started  an  argument  on  the  requisite  qualities 
which,  taken  in  combination,  made  up  that  rarity,  a  perfect  gentle- 
man. They  began  right  after  dinner,  and  cut  recitation  to  settle  the 
question.  I  came  in  after  Chapel  and  heard  them  argue  until  supper 
time,  when  the  case  was  adjourned  over  to  be  resumed  after  that  meal 
had  been  disposed  of.  At  it  they  went  after  supper,  and  when  I 
called  to  say  good-night  at  bed-time,  Billy  was  laying  down  the  law 
to  Jai  with  extreme  volubility. 

The  funniest  thing  was  to  hear  them  talk  about  descending  to 
personalities  in  debate.  They  all  agreed  it  was  the  last  resort  of  de- 
feated argument ;  and  asserted,  time  without  number,  that  it  was  a 
most  despicable  way  to  try  to  bully  down  an  antagonist.  And  after 
all,  they  Avouldn't  talk  five  minutes,  until  Jim  would  begin  to  be  sar- 
castic to  Billy,  dwelling  on  his  splendid  attainments,  and  vast  store  of 
intelligence,  and  infering  that  it  was  remarkable  how  any  one  of  such 
brilliant  acquirements  could  hold  and  advocate  opinions  so  erroneous. 
Jai  would  satirize  them  both  in  good  round  terms  ;  and  then  they 
would  turn  on  Jai,  with  remarks  about  stupid,  fat  people,  and  make 
fun  of  his  feet,  of  which  organs  Jai  was  immensely  proud ;  while 
Berg,  looking  calmly  down  from  the  height  of  his  journalistic  dignity, 
would  laugh  at  the  whole  three. 

Through  all  their  meetings  ran  a  pleasant  vein  of  humor.  Jim- 
my's jokes  were  a  source  of  never-failing  delight,  and  furnished  lots  of 
merriment  when  the  hours  passed  slowly.  It  being  impossible  to  work 
them  out  by  any  process  of  mental  arithmetic  known  under  the  sun, 
it  was  customary  to  reduce  them  to  writing,  and  illustrate  them  by 
choice  sketches  from  Billy's  ready  pen,  and  then  they  were  put  up  on 
the  wall,  in  order  that  chance  visitors  might  aid  in  deciphering  them. 
I  distinctly  remember  one  of  Jimmy's  most  abstruse  which  puzzled 
the  minds  of  all  for  nearly  a  week,  and  almost  put  "  Slops  "  into  dis- 
traction ;  and  when  Jimmy  was  asked  for  the  solution  he  had  forgotten 
what  his  original  remark  was  ! 

The  fellow  whose  name  I  have  forgotten  or  never  heard  men- 
tioned, used  to  go  up  and  stay  all  night  with  Jai  when  Berg  was  away. 
These  two  would  behave  shamefully.  They  would  go  over  to  town 
and  get  ale  and  take  it  to  the  room  and  drink  it,  and  then  sit  up  half 
the  night  discussing  "  the  loves  of  the  angels,"  meaning,  by  that  poetic 
phrase,  their  own  loves  in  the  Keystone  State.     Occasionally  Billy 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  G7 

would  join  them,  and  would  monopolize  two-thirds  of  the  bottles. 
The  next  day  he  would  come  around  swearing  life  was  a  bore  ;  and 
expressing  some  metaphysical  doubts  most  startling  to  those  not  ac- 
quainted with  all  the  facts  in  the  case. 

The  friendship  existing  among  the  members  was  very  sincere. 
On  one  occasion  one  of  them  asked  the  hand  of  another  in  marriage, 
and  was  accepted.  The  terms  of  agreement  were  that  they  were  to 
travel  together  around  the  world,  and  mutually  aid  one  another  in 
life's  battles,  and  heaps  more  of  sentiment.  Wedding  cards  were 
about  to  be  issued,  when  a  fight  occurred  between  the  affianced  pair, 
and  the  marriage  was  indefinitely  postponed.  I  have  never  been  in- 
forraed  whether  the  consummation  so  devoutly  wished  has  as  yet 
taken  place. 

The  Coterie  held  together  from  the  time  of  its  birth,  throughout 
both  Junior  and  Senior  years,  and,  I  have  firm  reason  to  believe,  is  still 
existing.  They  occasionally  did  some  queer  things  outside  of  their 
literary  pursuits.  Three  of  them  went  out  for  a  stroll  one  afternoon, 
in  Senior  year,  and  only  two  went  to  chemistry  lecture,  of  which  two 
one  fell  to  hiccoughing,  and  was  obliged  to  leave  the  room.  One 
night  they  went  to  call  on  a  learned  doctor  of  the  common  law. 
There  they  Avere  regaled,  not  with  Horace's  choicest  Falernian,  but 
with  "  Hankins'  best, "  flavored  with  some  spirited  reading,  by  the 
learned  lawyer,  from  his  own  compositions  and  orations.  They  were 
all  there  that  night  except  Jimmy,  and  he  was  busily  engaged  in 
polling  John  Stuart  Mill  for  the  next  meeting,  when  he  hoped  to 
annihilate  somebody. 

Long  live  the  Coterie !  May  the  influence  which  her  members 
exerted  while  in  College  be  but  typical  of  better  and  nobler  exertions 
to  lead  mankind  aright  in  life.  One  is  making  his  power  felt  in  the 
State  of  his  nativity ;  may  the  rest  do  likewise.  May  the  remem- 
brance of  the  good  old  times  spent  together  be  fresh  and  green  in 
each  one  of  their  hearts,  and  may  the  members  of  the  Coterie  be  wel- 
come to  each  other,  wherever,  whenever,  and  however  found. 


68  HISTORY  OP  THE  CLASS  OP  74. 


JUNIOR  YEAR  INCIDENTS. 

Upper  class-men  at  last !  The  two  years  of  patient  waiting  and 
toil  were  over,  and  we  were  really  Juniors.  Our  pride  was  of  an 
excusable  and  commendable  type.  We  were  not  so  meanly  proud  as 
at  the  beginning  of  Soph  year.  We  didn't  think  now,  as  we  did 
then,  that  we  were  the  most  important  beings  in  College,  and  that  if 
our  existence  would  cease,  by  any  means,  the  whole  universe  would 
feel  the  void.  We  didn't  think  now  that  we  knew  more  than  all  the 
other  classes  put  together  ;  that  we  could  receive  no  instractions  from 
the  Professors,  because  they  didn't  know  enough  to  impart  anything 
to  us.  In  fact,  we  didn't  now  consider  ourselves  omniscient  and  omni- 
potent. We  recognized  the  abilities  of  the  class  above  us,  and  looked 
down  at  the  classes  below  us  without  the  least  hauteur ;  we  even  per- 
mitted them  to  become  familiar  and  address  us  by  our  first  names,  and 
and  slap  us  on  the  back,  and  say  "old  boy,"  and  were  altogether  much 
more  condescending  as  Juniors  than  we  had  been  as  Sophomores. 

We  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  affairs  of  '76 ;  watched  over 
them  tenderly  as  their  proper  and  constituted  collegiate  guardians  ; 
fed  them  in  their  nests  until  they  were  able  to  fly,  and  warded  off 
Sophomore  hawks  and  Senior  eagles.  We  hallowed  for  them  on  the 
ball  field,  and  supported  them  in  their  cane  spree,  and  gave  them  the 
benefit  of  our  wise  counsel  and  vast  experience. 

We  made  many  splendid  resolutions  for  Junior  year.  We  would 
take  notes  on  all  lectures ;  we  would  study  some,  enough  to  maintain 
a  creditable  standing  in  class.  But  our  time  we  meant  to  devote  to 
reading.  Read,  how  we  intended  to  read,  and  what  didn't  we  intend 
to  read ?  I  have  seen  fellows  sit  calmly  down,  and  with  solemn  de- 
meanor and  most  determined  faces,  map  out  a  course  of  reading,  the 
most  voluminous  you  can  imagine.  One  I  remember  was  bent,  had 
fully  resolved,  to  read  the  histories  of  all  the  nations  of  the  world  from 
the  creation  down  to  the  present  time  ;  and  as  each  nation's  chronicles 
were  finished,  he  declared  he  was  going  back  to  read  the  literature  of 
that  nation  in  the  original  tongue !  He  actually  thought  he  could 
accomplish  it  all  in  one  year,  and  if  you  attempted  to  remonstrate  with 
him,  he  would  wax  exceedingly  wroth,  and  would  inquire  quite  savagely 
whether  or  not  you  meant  to  derogate  from  his  energy  and  persever- 
ance. He  would  have  killed  himself  in  a  short  while  if  we  hadn't 
taken  all  his  books  away  from  him  and  locked  them  up.  We  couldn't 
follow  out  our  good  resolutions  ;  those  lectures  in  the  morning  without 
recitations,  afforded  nights  too  temptingly  devoid  of  any  duties. 
Whist  flourished  surprisingly,  and  some  of  the  boys  became  wonder- 
fully proficient.  The  practice  of  Junior  year  gave  Cooke  and  Bingham 
the  College  championship  in  Senior  year.  I  think  it  was  in  Junior 
year  we  had  so  many  kinds  of  tournaments ;  billiards,  bowling,  etc. 
So  you  see  with  such  diversified  amusements,  and  so  many  attractions 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  60 


besides  musty  tomes  and  dusty  pamphlets,  it  can't  be  wondered  at 
that  reading  came  on  rather  poorly. 

We  didn't  do  much  running  about  in  Junior  year :  the  fellows 
made  all  the  noise  in  their  rooms.  So  we  were  quieter  than  we  had 
been  airy  time  during  the  last  two  years.  But  the  boys  sometimes 
got  out. 

One  day  Eme  and  Orestes  were  strolling  together  over  the  barren 
wastes  of  Rocky  Hill,  hunting  up  some  sort  of  mischief,  as  we  might 
know  from  the  mere  fact  of  their  companionship.  Two  such  precious, 
deserving-to-be-hung  rascals,  as  they  were,  would  never  go  out  prowl- 
ing around  in  that  kind  of  style  if  there  was  not  something  on  which 
they  wanted  to  get  their  all-grasping  hands.  It  was  on  a  Sunday,  too, 
when  they  knew  everybody  was  at  church,  and  their  homes  unpro- 
tected, and  that  circumstance,  of  itself,  looks  suspicious.  Orestes  used 
to  argue  quite  earnestly  in  his  endeavor  to  convince  me  that  he  didn't 
mean  anything  wrong  by  going  out,  and  I  used  to  almost  bring  tears 
to  O.'s  eyes  by  being  firmly  set  in  my  belief,  and  not  to  be  shaken.  If 
he  didn't  go  for  anything  else,  he  went  out  of  a  very  reprehensible  spirit 
of  curiosity.  After  finding  out  what  we  fellows  in  class  were  doing, 
or  thinking  of  doing,  he  determined  to  change  the  base  of  his  opera- 
tions to  Rocky  Hill,  and  investigate  that  portion  of  the  country.  I 
venture  to  say  that  if  he  had  gotten  into  a  house  he  wouldn't  have 
left  a  room  unexamined.  Curiosity  was  a  passion  with  Orestes.  Why, 
if  S.  Cooke  would  open  a  paper  of  tobacco,  Orestes  always  wanted  to 
see  how  much  was  in  it,  and  what  it  looked  like,  and  would  not  give 
Silas  a  moment's  rest  until  he  had  taken  a  piece  of  paper  and  approxi 
mated  the  number  of  chews  contained  in  a  fresh  paper  of  Sunnysidc. 
Then  Orestes  wanted  to  know  how  many  chews  he  thought  it  likely 
would  be  given  away ;  whether  fellows  begged  much  tobacco  from 
one  another ;  if  it  made  a  fellow's  teeth  very  black  to  use  the  weed, 
or  was  it  something  he  ate,  and  not  the  tobacco  at  all.  Upon  my 
word,  he  used  to  put  Silas  through  such  a  course  of  catechising  that 
I  was  afraid  of  a  tainting  scene.  It  was  awful,  the  way  Orestes  used 
to  ask  questions.  He  beat  Shakspeare  Elder  all  hollow.  Shakspearc 
would  have  been  whitewashed  nine  successive  innings  if  he  had  taken 
the  field  against  O.  Yet  Shakspearc  was  a  good  interrogator.  But 
Orestes  beat  anybody  I  ever  did  see.  One  day,  I  remember  distinctly, 
he  looked  at  Silas  for  fifteen  minutes,  and  then  asked  him  if  "  he  ever 
intended  to  raise  a  moustache !"  Caius  looked  at  him  for  about  a 
minute,  and,  stroking  that  luxuriant  down  on  his  upper  lip,  exclaimed, 
"You  dam  fool !"  He  used  to  get  Botsford  raging  mad  by  trying  to 
see  what  book  he  was  reading  in  recitation;  distracted  lJluch  so  he 
couldn't  calculate,  and  disturbed  the  equable  serenity  of  John  Daniel's 
temperament. 

But  I  am  digressing.  Erne  and  O.  went  out  walking.  Eme  looked 
mischievous;  there  was  a  merry  twinkle  in  the  depths  of  his  lustrous 
blue  eye.  They  climbed  fences,  and  hooked  apples,  and  got  phased 
by  dogs,  times  without    number.       Presently  they   espied  a  nice,  fat 

young  gobbler,  sitting  on  the  fence. 

j       ss  &  lfl 


70  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 

"By  gosh!"  says  Minor,  "by  gosh"  I'm  goin'  to  have  that  fellow !' 

"You  better  not,"  says  Orestes  ;  "  is  it  a  turkey  ?  " 
.     Minor  was  too  busy  looking  for  a  stone  to  reply,  and  O.  asked  the 
question  until  Minor  was  obliged  to  explain  to  him  that  he  thought  it 
was. 

Then  he  found  a  stone.  You  know  how  gracefully  Erne  used  to 
throw  a  snowball.  Well,  he  threw  this  time  with  his  usual  precision, 
and  came  a  good  deal  nearer  damaging  Orestes  than  striking  the 
turkey.  But  he  kept  on  throwing  for  about  half  an  hour,  and  the 
turkey  sat  there,  calmly  regarding  him,  and  evidently  at  a  loss  how  to 
account  for  the  human  gyrations  and  contortions  he  was  Avitnessing, 
until  a  stone,  chance  directed,  hit  the  turkey  in  the  head,  and  over  he 
went. 

As  soon  as  Orestes  beheld  the  slaughter,  he  dreaded  the  conse- 
quences, and  started  for  home  with  remarkable  celerity.  It  is  posi- 
tively asserted  by  Eme,  that  Orestes  didn't  stop  until  he  reached  his 
room  and  locked  the  door.  And  the  next  time  they  met,  Eme  pretty 
nearly  suffered  an  attack  of  temporary  insanity  from  the  number  of 
questions  he  was  forced  to  answer. 

The  next  night  a  jovial  party  assembled  in  Erne's  room,  and  the 
turkey,  having  been  roasted  in  town,  was  speedily  disposed  of.  The 
convivial  bowl  circulated  pretty  freely,  and  "  lemon-peels  "  came  very 
nearly  causing  another  terrible  sickness.  I  can't  tell  you  all  we  did 
that  night.  How  each  fellow  sat  up  with  a  bone  in  his  fist,  and  joked, 
and  sang,  and  told  stories !  It  was  one  of  our  many  dear  old  expe- 
riences. 

The  class  about  this  time  almost  had  a  funeral.  The  most  of  you 
fellows  didn't  know  how  very  near  you  came  to  losing  one  of  our  most 
prominent  and  promising  members.  Fred  Williamson  pretty  nearly 
blew  his  head  off  fooling  with  chemicals  in  the  room  of  the  Princeton 
Scientific  Club.  It  was  a  narrow  escape,  and  Buck  remembered  the 
lesson.  He  never  went  near  any  chemicals,  and  attended  as  few 
lectures  as  possible  in  Senior  year. 

Beach  and  Bobbins,  sometime  in  Junior  year,  began  to  exercise 
their  fascinating  wiles  on  the  young  ladies  of  Princeton  and  vicinity. 
They  made  any  number  of  conquests.  They  got  to  be  as  mysterious 
in  all  their  doings  as  Patterson.  They  were  accustomed  to  dress  up 
every  night  and  go  out.  They  got  reckless,  and  pretty  nearly  ruined 
Dyke  Gulick :  they  got  so  many  teams  and  ran  up  such  tremendous 
bills.  They  were  about  the  only  gay  lotharios  we  had,  if  we  except 
Field  and  Strong — and,  I  had  almost  forgotten,  George.  George  sur- 
passed them  both.  They  often  tried  to  compete  successfully  with 
him  ;  but  it  was  of  no  avail.  If  George  wanted  to  go  and  see  a  girl, 
they  must  stay  away.  George  was  so  taking,  so  popular  with  the 
ladies ;  he  had  a  nice,  pleasant,  gushing  style  that  was  simply  irresist 
ible.  He  used  to  entreat  them  to  address  him  as  "George  ;  "  society 
conventionalities  were  so  distasteful  to  him,  and  he  did  hate  to  be 
"mistered."  I  tell  you,  these  three  fellows  were  possessed  o(  no 
ordinary  attractions  for  the  ladies,  and  they  acted  dreadfully  mean 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  71 

about  it;  they  wouldn't  tell  you  a  giiTsyiame.  If  you  asked  them — 
"say,  Sam,  who  is  that  girl  over  on  the  other  side  of  the  street?" — 
two  to  one,  the  only  answer  you  would  get,  would  be,  "That  girl ; 
<)!  she  lives  over  on  Rocky  Hill."  They  used  to  get  all  kinds  of 
delightful  bows,  and  wouldn't  let  anybody  share  the  enjoyment. 

The  Judge  and  Erne  wrote  an  essay  for  our  esteemed  criticizer. 
It  was  a  most  erudite  production.  They  both  distinguished  them- 
selves on  it,  and  got  it  out  of  the  same  book.  Judge  had  his  nicely 
eopicd ;  his  manuscript  was  exceedingly  neat,  and  he  called  Minor  in 
to  show  him  what  he  had  done — to  read  to  him  his  essay — and  to 
impress  upon  him  more  deeply  the  idea  of  his  brilliant  rhetorical 
powers.  The  composition  all  through,  was  excellent;  but  the  final 
sentence  was  the  telling  one.  All  the  elegant  tropes  and  huge,  large- 
sounding  words  had  been  reserved  to  be  brought  in  with  powerful 
effect  at  the  end.  Judge  read  impressively ;  Erne  listened  attentively 
and  with  an  expression  of  unbounded  admiration.  The  delivery  was 
finished;  Judge  looked  up  to  hear  the  well-deserved  encomiums.  Eme, 
his  countenance  wearing  a  quizzical  expression,  finally  said: 

"Judge,  wait  till  I  get  my  essay." 

The  essay  was  found,  and  Erne  read  a  sentence  surprisingly  like 
the  Judge's. 

"  Now,"  said  Eme,  "now  wait  till  I  get  my  book  and  show  you 
where  I  found  that," 

It  was  one  Judge  had  borrowed  from  Eme. 

Some  fellows  got  out  a  burlesque  on  our  final  Paper  in  Logic.  It 
was  a  capital  thing,  and  was  duly  appreciated  by  the  class  and  the 
College.  The  authors  have  always  been  unknown,  but  suspicion 
points  to  at  least  two  who  were  concerned  in  it — Gephart  and  West. 
Whoever  produced  it,  I  extend  to  them  the  compliments  of  the  class 
for  their  splendid  sarcasm. 

During  all  our  four  years  the  boys  used  to  play  tricks  upon  one 
another.  There  was  not  a  session  passed  over  us  but  that  some  stu- 
pendous hoax  was  perpetrated.  Somebody  was  sure,  at  some  time,  to 
be  badly  frightened,  or  bored  by  some  practical  joke,  by  his  classmates. 
The  boys  were  all  full  of  life,  and  spirits,  and  animation,  and  occa- 
sionally there  would  be  an  ebullition,  and  somebody  fooled.  All  boys 
ought  to  be  lively,  but  our  boys  possessed  a  superabundance. 

You  remember,  in  Junior  year,  about  every  other  fellow  in  Col- 
lege received  a  circular  from  some  bogus  firm  in  New  York,  which, 
after  setting  forth  the  splendors  and  enjoyments  of  wealth,  as  con- 
trasted with  the  penury  and  toils  incident  to  poverty,  contained  an 
assurance  that,  if  the  firm  were  furnished  with  a  certain  supply  of  cash, 
it  would  forward  to  the  address  of  the  purchaser  an  untold  amount  of 
bank  notes.     Of  course  no  one  sent  for  any  money. 

About  this  time  Rpbbins  and  Robison  were  rooming  together, 
and  the  former  used  to  worry  and  torment  the  latter  continually.  He 
used  to  do  all  sorts  of  things — mean  things,  too,  I  am  sorry  to  ray ; 
i.  e.,  Bull  thought  they  were  mean.  If  Bull  wanted  to  have  a  prayer- 
meeting,  or  anything  of  that  sort,  Sam,  like  a  naughty  boy,  would  go  and 


72  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 

get  a  crowd  of  fellows  like  Buchanan  and  Morris,  and  they  would  send 
to  Hankins',  get  a  bottle  of  something,  and  break  up  the  meeting, 
drinking  hot  things.  It  Robison  wanted  to  study,  Sam  wanted  to 
improve  his  voice.  If  the  Secretary  wanted  to  read  his  Bible,  Sam 
always  had  something  interesting  in  one  of  Reynolds'  entertaining 
productions,  which  he  deemed  would  be  highly  instructive  to  the  Sec- 
retary, and  which  he  insisted  upon  reading  aloud.  Occasionally  Harry 
Beach  would  come  up,  and  screech  around  and  act  as  crazy  as  Sam, 
and  between  them  all  the  Secretary  "did  have  a  devil  of  a  time."'  It 
was  just  like,  we  imagine,  the  harmony  there  is  existing  between  a 
rattlesnake  and  a  prairie-dog  inhabiting  the  same  hole.  They  live 
together,  and  seem  to  enjoy  it,  and  we  must  suppose,  for  the  sake  of 
analogy,  that  it  was  the  same  way  here.  It  would  have  been  good 
fun  if  sometime  Robison  had  got  real  mad  and  cleaned  them  all  out. 

Well,  Harry  Beach  and  Sam  Bobbins  one  day  got  hold  of  one  of 
these  counterfeit  money  circulars,  and  they  thought  they  would  get 
up  a  good  joke  on  the  poor,  persecuted  Bull,  who  had  a  harder  time 
than  one  of  his  namesakes  in  a  Spanish  arena.  They  put  up  a  circular 
in  a  nice  envelope,  and  directed  it  to  "Mr.  Albert  L.  Robison,  Prince- 
ton, N.  J.;"  then  went  to  a  couple  of  fellows  in  town,  who  agreed,  for 
the  fun  of  the  thing,  to  represent  New  York  detectives.  The  affair 
having  been  all  arranged,  they  waited  for  Robison  to  get  the  letter. 
It  was  put  in  his  box  at  the  office,  taken  out  in  due  time,  opened,  and 
he  innocently  thrust  it  into  his  pocket. 

That  night  Bobbins  was  in  rather  earlier  than  usual,  and  had  not 
been  seated  long  before  Beach  came  in.  Robison  wanted  to  study 
and  was  going  out,  when  they  urged  him  to  stay,  representing  that 
his  society  was  absolutely  indispensable  to  their  happiness.  The 
victim  took  a  seat,  and  they  all  laughed  and  joked  and  chatted  freely 
until  the  clock  proclaimed  the  hour  of  ten.  Sam  and  Harry  exchanged 
significant  glances,  and  Harry  opened  up: 

"  I  see  by  the  papers  that  there  are  loads  of  counterfeit  currency 
floating  around  the  country  now." 

"  Yes,"  said  Sam;  "  a  good  many  fellows  in  College  have  received 
circulars  from  some  New  York  firm  which  offers  to  send  money  to 
applicants." 

Robison  forgot  all  about  his  letter  for  the  time,  and  was  only 
reminded  of  it  by  Beach's  next  remark. 

"  I  bet  the  Government  will  give  it  to  any  they  catch." 

"  You  bet  they  will,"  said  Sam. 

"  Bless  my  soul !"  ejaculated  Bull ;  "  I  got  a  circular  this  morning." 

"  Is  that  so  ;"  said  Sam  mournfully,  "  you'd  better  get  it  out  of 
the  road  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  By  cracky  !  I  will !"  and  he  began  searching  for  it. 

Just  then  footsteps  were  heard  coming  up  stairs,  heavy  ominous- 
sounding  footsteps,  and  then  came  a  loud  knock  on  the  door. 

"  Put  away  those  letters,"  said  Sam  in  a  loud  voice  which  meant 
"come  in." 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  73 


Albert  Leslie  tried  to  comply,  but  just  then  open  swung  the  door  ; 
two  strange  men  stood  on  the  threshold,  and  Robison  was  caught. 

"Does  Albert  L.  Robison  room  here '?"  said  the  taller  of  the  figures. 

"  He  does;  I  am  he,"  tremblingly  responded  our  strong  man. 

"  I  am  sony,  sir ;  but  there  is  a  rumor  afloat  in  New  York  city 
that  you  are  leagued  with  a  band  of  counterfeiters;  and  I  have  been 
sent  down  here  to  work  up  the  case.  Disagreeable  as  the  task  is  I 
must  search  your  room  and  your  person." 

You  never  did  see  any  one  look  like  Robison !  It  was  awful  to  gaze 
into  his  face;  he  gasped  for  air;  he  got  ghastly  white  and  deep  red  by 
turns.  Finally  he  gasped  out,  "you-daren't-do-it.  You- haven' t-any 
authority."  The  officer  silently  turned  over  the  lapel  of  his  coat  and 
there  glistened  the  star.  Then  it  seemed  as  though  Robison's  mighty 
spirit  had  burst;  he  sank  back  and  buried  his  face  in  his  hands. 
The  mental  strain  must  have  been  terrible.  His  strong  frame  shook 
with  the  violence  of  his  emotion.  The  pent  up  grief  did  not  find  its 
vent  in  tears.  To  be  searched  like  a  felon  !  To  be  even  suspected  of 
so  great  a  crime!  He  to  be  suspected!  He  whose  whole  College 
career  had  been  an  argument  for  virtue  !  He  who  wouldn't  go  into 
the  cane  spree  because  the  Faculty  didn't  approve  of  it !  Perhaps  he 
was  to  be  dragged  off  to  prison.  lie  would  be  disgraced  for  life  ;  the 
stain  of  that  one  accusation  would  cling  to  him  till  death !  It  was 
awful,  horrible  !  And  while  he  was  thinking  these  thoughts,  Sam  and 
Harry  and  the  two  detectives  were  enjoying  the  joke  hugely  ;  they 
laughed  silently  and  warily. 

The  circular  was  found.  The  proof  of  complicity  was  sufficient. 
The  detective's  tones  were  more  those  of  sorrow  than  of  anger. 

"  I  deeply  regret  to  inform  you,  sir,  that  I  will  have  to  take  you 
to  New  York  with  me.  I  trust  that  you  may  be  able  to  clear  yourself 
from  this  grave  accusation.  Should  you  wish  to  see  your  friends  for 
the  purpose  of  obtaining  bail,  it  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  attend 
to  your  messages.  I  will  not  submit  you  to  the  ignominy  of  being 
incarcerated  in  the  jail  of  this  county  ;  but  as  we  will  remain  all  night, 
and  as  I  cannot  permit  you  to  be  unguarded,  I  will  leave  my  assistant 
in  your  room.  I  see  you  have  a  lounge  on  which  he  can  sleep.  We 
will  now  retire  so  that  you  may  arrange  for  to-morrow's  journey.'' 

They  left.  Robison  paced  the  room  in  agony  of  mind.  He  im- 
ploringly besought  Sam  to  telegraph  for  his  father  to  come  on  immedi- 
ately ;  he  asked  him  to  go  and  arouse  Dr.  McCosh  to  see  if  he  could 
do  anything  in  this  extremity.  Sam  shook  his  head.  It  was  too  late 
then  to  telegraph,  and  Dr.  McCosh  was  soundly  slumbering,  but  he 
promised  to  do  everything  in  his  power  in  the  morning.  Then  he  and 
Beach  began  to  suggest  means  of  escape.  They  would  knock  down 
the  fellow  who  was  to  sleep  in  the  room,  and  then  Robison  could 
escape.  They  would  go  out  and  get  some  chloroform,  and  make  him 
insensible  while  he  slept.     They  would  murder  him,  if  need  be. 

But  Robison  said  no  ;  he  would  take  his  chances  of  trial  like  a 
man  ;  he  knew  he  would  be  cleared,  because  he  was  innocent  and  they 
couldn't  convict  him.     Sam  and  Harry  shook  their  heads  ;  and  they 


74  HISTORY  OP  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


got  the  Secretary  pretty  nearly  crazy  conjecturing  as  to  how  many 
years  a  fellow  was  likely  to  get  for  a  crime  of  that  description  ;  and 
counting  up  the  number  of  cases,  within  their  own  personal  experi- 
ence, of  innocent  fellows  who  had  been  found  guilty  and  even  hung. 
It  was  a  shame  to  prey  on  a  fellow's  feelings  that  way,  but  they  did  it 
remorselessly,  while  waiting  for  the  return  of  the  assistant.  When  mo- 
ment after  moment  passed  and  he  still  didn't  come,  they  urged  Robison 
to  fly.  lint  he  wouldn't,  and  finally  they  all  went  to  bed  ;  two  to 
sleep  comfortably,  and  one  to  be  tormented  by  hideous  night-mares 
and  to  toss  restlessly  on  his  pillow  all  night  long. 

When  they  arose  in  the  morning,  the  Secretary  looked  haggard 
and  worn  ;  and  then  at  last  they  took  compassion  upon  him,  and  told 
him  it  was  a  hoax.  Phew!  he  was  madder  than  he  had  been  scared 
the  night  before.  O  !  but  he  was  mad !  lie  turned  the  tables  with 
remarkable  celerity,  and  Sam  and  Harry  found  themselves  more  deeply 
involved  in  the  fun  than  they  had  expected  to  be.  He  went  to  the 
telegraph  office  and  telegraphed  for  his  father  himself ;  and  when  lie 
came,  the  son  narrated  all  the  circumstances.  Kobison  pere  was  mad- 
der than  Robison_A7s.  They  together  indited  a  letter  to  an  attorney, 
and  announced  themselves  resolved  to  make  the  conspirators  pay  for 
their  fun.  Robison  became  elated,  and  Sam  and  Harry  correspond- 
ingly dejected.  Robison  recovered  his  confidence  ;  Sam  and  Harry 
were  badly  frightened.  They  pretended  they  were  not,  but  I  give 
you  my  word  they  were.  When  you  conversed  with  them  about  the 
affair,  they  would  give  a  funny  little  scared  laugh,  but  they  didn't 
seem  to  care  to  be  communicative.  They  were  evidently  more  than 
annoyed  at  the  unexpected  turn  affairs  had  taken.  They  looked  just 
like  our  Professor  of  Logic  used  to  when  we  wouldn't  laugh  at  his 
jokes,  a  little  consternated. 

The  unpleasantness  gradually  died  away,  and  all  the  punishment 
which  the  disturbers  of  the  peace  received,  was  a  reprimand  from  the 
Faculty,  and  an  injunction  to  refrain  from  practical  jokes  in  the  future. 

Our  Junior  orator  contest  took  place  in  both  Halls  in  the  first 
session,  and  the  result  reported  with  our  sessional  grades.  The  deci- 
sions of  the  committees  in  both  Whig  and  Clio  Halls  gave  universal 
satisfaction  ;  and  all  were  convinced  that  eight  better  men  could  not 
have  been  selected  to  represent  the  Literary  societies  on  the  -'J.  O." 
stage. 

The  successful  contestants  in  the  Halls  were  : 

Whig— J.  S.  Ri^s,  j.  H.  Ross,  N.  I.  Rubiukam,  W.  II.  Sponsler. 

Clio— R,  E.  Field,  H.  M.  Hinckley,  W.  D.  Nicholas.  W.  II. 
Wiggins. 

The  successful  boys  studied  and  wrote,  and  were  as  nervous  as 
ihey  could  be,  until  the  occasion  came  off.  Then  they  got  on  the 
stage  as  coolly  and  collectedly  as  need  be,  and  did  splendidly.  The 
Second  Presbyterian  Church  was  crowded,  and  all  agreed  in  saying 
that  they  never  had  seen  such  an  immense  gathering  of  beautiful 
ladies  and  distinguished  men,  nor  had  ever  heard  a  finer  set  of 
speeches.     The  church  looked  elegant;    the  galleries  and  the  floor 


11IST0KY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  75 

were  densely  packed,  the  pews  being  almost  entirely  filled  by  ladies, 
and  I  never  saw  so  many  pretty  females.  We  almost  lost  the  speeches 
of  our  classmates  looking-  at  the  girls.  It  was  funny  to  hear  them 
talk.  Though  I  admired  extremely  the  intellectual  abilities  of  our 
speakers,  I  can't  say  that  I  ever  considered  them  extraordinarily 
gifted  with  handsome  features ;  yet,  whenever  any  of  them  got  up, 
1  heard  "Oh!  isn't  he  handsome  ;"  "  I  think  he  is  perfectly  elegant ;" 
"  How  much  character  there  is  in  his  face  ;"  "What  a  delicious  mouth 
he  has,  um-m/'  "I  declare  I  never,  in  all  my  life,  saw  such  a  crowd 
of  handsome  gentlemen  ;"  one  even  said,  "Ain't  they  dear,  delicious 
creatures  1 "  I  had  half  intended  to  ask  her  whether  she  meant  to 
eat ;  but  I  retrained.     Imagine  chewing  on  Erne  ! 

But  after  all,  their  commendations  were,  in  one  sense,  well  de- 
served. They  proved  themselves  to  be  orators  par  excellence,  and 
those  who  failed  to  get  a  prize,  might  well  congratulate  themselves 
on  the  strength  of  their  antagonists,  and  reflect  with  pleasure  on  the 
ability  with  which  they  had  to  cope. 

The  order  of  speaking,  and  the  subjects  of  the  orations,  were  as 
follows : 

Walter  D.  Nicholas,  N.  J. — Gladstone. 

N.  I.  liubinkam,  Penna. — Tlie  Spirit  of  Inquiry. 

William  H.  Sponsler,  Penna. — Mazzints  Ideal. 

Harry  M.  Hinckley,  Penna. — A  Tribute  to  Robert  Emmet. 

Richard  E.  Field,  N.  J. — John  Knox. 

James  II.  Ross,  N.  Y. — Culture  in  its  Relation  to  Practical  Life. 

James  S.  Riggs,  N.  Y. —  The  Relief  of  Lucknow  and  its  Lessons. 

Willis  II.  Wiggins,  N.  Y. — Antagonism. 

The  next  day  the  names  of  the  successful  competitors  were  an- 
nounced. 

James  II.  Ross,  of  N.  Y.,  received  the  Maclean  prize  for  the  best 
written  oration,  and,  in  addition,  the  first  Junior  Orator  Medal. 

William  II.  Sponsler,  of  Penna.,  received  the  second  Junior  Orator 
Medal. 

Walter  I).  Nicholas,  of  N.  J.,  received  the  third,  and 

Willis  II.  Wiggins,  of  N.  Y,  the  fourth. 

The  "Literary  Board"  was  elected  in  the  third  session.  The 
following  is  the  list  of  editors,  and  the  order  in  which  the  Bits  ap- 
peared : 

Field  and  Crawford  edited  the  first  number: 

West  and  Ilenney  the  second; 

Deems  and  Whitehill  the  third;  and 

Wiffffins  and  Nicoll  the  fourth. 


SENIOR  YEAR. 


We  were  all  so  remarkably  good  in  Senior  and  Junior  years  that 
your  Historian  experienced  an  infinite  deal  of  trouble  and  was 
obliged  to  rack  bis  brains  excessively  to  find  a  subject  for  a  chapter. 
He  could  recall  no  midnight  prowlings,  no  well  concerted  plots  of 
mischief;  and  was  forced  to  believe  that  the  class  had  been  more  than 
usually  moral.  He,  however,  remembered  the  recitations  of  the  two 
years;  and  thinking  a  review  of  some  of  them  might  be  interesting, 
he  wrote  up  a  few  of  the  reminiscences  connected  with  them. 


CHAPTER  I. 

IIOUKS  WITH  THE  CLASSICS. 


Would  you  rove  amid  the  wooded  groves  of  Helicon ;  would  it 
please  you  to  sit  for  awhile  in  her  cool  retreats  and  storied  grots  ? 
Are  your  world-tossed,  business-vexed  minds  capable  of  grasping  the 
depths  and  truths  of  philosophy  ;  the  beauties  of  poetry  ;  the  wonders 
of  fiction  ?  Can  you  forget,  and  leave  your  present  avocations,  and 
come  with  me  back  to  the  days  of  story,  of  romance,  of  mythology  ? 
Is  your  foot  too  tired  already  with  the  race  of  life  to  ascend  the  sum- 
mit of  High  Olympus  to  visit. 

— "That  reputed  seat  eternal 
AVhich  never  storms  disturb  nor  snows  invade." 

Are  you  still  so  accustomed  to  the  literature  and  antiquities  of 
Greece  that  you  can  think  with  pleasure  on  the  past  I  would  recall  ? 
If  so,  let  us  review  together  some  hours  spent  in  classical  room  No.  1. 

How  we  enjoyed  those  times  !  Sometimes  we  were  too  wild  : 
often  very  rude  ;  and  we  occasionally  sang,  cheered,  and  stamped  a 
little  too  uproariously ;  but  Ave  did  all  in  uncaring  thoughtlessness. 
We  never  intentionally  struck  harshly  the  delicate  sensibilities  of  our 
kind  instructor ;  never  meaningly  wounded  his  large,  warm  heart. 
We  were  generally  well  behaved,  but  oftentimes  young  blood  would 
break  away  from  all  control,  and  then  how  we  rioted  ! 

On  one  row  in  regular  succession  came  Parker,  Paton,  Peckett. 
They  were  the  centre  of  a  select  few,  who  disregarded  the  wishes  and 
inclinations  of  the  limited  number  of  individuals  desiring  to  be  bene- 
fited by  the  recitation.  Mose  was  the  Lucifer  when  any  Pandemonium 
was  instituted.  When  his  clarion  call  to  noisy  arms  was  heard,  woe  ! 
betide  the  luckless  Professor.  Mosc's  well-known  "  h-i-1 1-o-w, "  or 
"  oh  my,  "  was  the  signal  for  uproar. 

From  the  time  of  our  first  assembling,  in  Freshman  year,  down 
through  all  the  successive  years,  even  down  to  the  eventful  time  of 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  77 

that  farewell  speech,  so  full  of  forgiving  love,  and  pitying  tenderness, 
and  intercessory  promises — that  last,  eloquent,  tear-compelling  har- 
angue— classical  room,  No.  1,  was  the  stage  upon  which  were 
played  many  dramas  of  unrule. 

Can't  we  all  remember  the  time  when  Prof.  C.  issued  an  edict, 
purporting  to  come  from  the  Faculty,  to  the  effect,  that  on  account  of 
the  outrageous  disturbance  created  by  means  of  the  offending  articles, 
no  canes  would  be  allowed  inside  the  class-room  in  the  future'?  How 
indignant  we  all  were  at  this  curtailing  of  our  dearest  Sophomoric 
dignity,  our  most  glorious  right !  Why  should  the  innocent  be 
punished  with  the  guilty  ?  Ave  demanded.  Because  Jake  Wikoff, 
and  John  Walker,  and  Senator  Wiggins,  and  Whitehill,  and  all  those 
fellows  on  the  back  row,  were  continually  acting  fresh  and  dropping 
canes  on  the  floor,  or  rattling  them  against  the  wires  under  the  chairs, 
— were  we  all,  the  whole  class  of  '74  collectively — all  of  us  the  best, 
bravest,  most  intellectual  class  Nassau  had  ever  seen, — were  we  to  be 
divested  of  our  proudest  distinction  as  Sophomores '? 

We  were  touched  on  our  most  sensitive  nerve  point,  to  speak 
physiologically.  We  determined  to  revolt  against  the  decree  of  the 
Faculty.  But  how?  Many  plans  were  suggested,  but  none  seemed 
just  the  one  to  inflict  a  permanent  rebuke  upon  the  honored  body 
which  watched  over  our  welfare,  and  warn  them  from  again  trench- 
ing on  our  rights  and  taking  away  our  franchises.  We  could  find 
nothing  exactly  expressive  of  the  violent  bent  of  our  minds,  the 
craving  nature  of  our  disposition  to  revolt  against  authority,  except 
downright  and  unexampled  disobedience.  Accordingly,  orders  were 
issued  by  the  powers  that  be,  commanding  every  one  to  procure  canes 
for  our  next  Greek  recitation.  Terrible  were  our  threats  against 
those  who  we  thought  would  be  so  dead  to  all  sense  of  honor  and 
justice  as  to  cleave  unto  the  Faculty — against  those  who,  we  imagined, 
would  not  carry  canes.  Our  high-minded  souls  revolted  against  them. 
We  agreed  among  each  other,  never  to  associate  with  them,  if  they 
did  not  display  their  manhood  at  this  trying  hour.  And  how  many 
plots  we  devised  for  driving  them  from  College,  or  getting  rid  of 
them  in  someway;  insidious,  secret,  awful  plots,  and  dire  torments 
(if  we  ever  could  get  at  them)  we  pondered  upon.  Ah,  T.  Boyd,  and 
Pap,  and  the  rest  of  you  fellows,  you  can  never  know  nor  guess  wlial 
angry  tempests  raged  around  you  during  those  earlier  days.  Ever 
blessed  be  the  kind  Providence  which  kept  from  your  ears  even  the 
rumors  of  preparation,  else  had  your  young  and  promising  lives  been 
chilled  and  withered  by  the  frosts  of  tear. 

But,  to  come  back  to  Greek  recitation,  we  were  all  to  cany 
canes;  though  not  all  came  to  the  next  recitation  provided  with  that 
emblem  of  civilization  and  refinement,  and  those  who  did  carry  them, 
hardly  stayed  long  enough  in  the  room  to  let  us  know  they  had  them. 
Though  each  one  was  determined  to  assert  his  rights,  he  was  remark 
ably  careful  in  his  endeavors  to  conceal  his  slick  from  all  eyes.  Stern 
and  deep-toned  as  ever, — and  it  always  sounded  as  though  sonic  our 
had  the  proverbial  frog  in  his  larynx. — came  the  mandate: 

LI 


78  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 

"Those  gentlemen  having  canes  will  please  leave  the  room,  and 
having  left  their  canes  outside  will  return,  or  incur  an  absent  mark." 

Out  the  boys  noisily  went ;  and  the  recitation  went  on  smoothly 
until  Jai  was  "called  up."  Do  you  remember  what  Jai  was  in  Greek  ? 
Literally  to  him  its  ways  were  dark,  and  its  tricks  were  vain,  and  he 
often  pronounced  its  construction  most  peculiar.  Well,  Jai  was  in  the 
midst  of  one  of  his  most  striking  and  brilliant  displays  of  oratorical 
talent,  and  Billy  Sponsler  was  endeavoring  to  bring  to  his  aid  his 
wonderful  stores  of  classical  erudition,  when  open  was  flung  the  door, 
and  in  walked  a  line  of  solemn  looking  individuals  headed  by  Mose, 
each  one  carrying  an  umbrella.  Silently  they  filed  to  their  seats,  took 
them  with  imperturbable  gravity  of  countenance,  and  sat  with  bland- 
ly innocent  faces  throughout  the  hour.  The  Faculty's  words  had 
been  interpreted  literally,  and  as  no  specifications  had  been  made  in 
regard  to  umbrellas  the  thing  was  not  looked  upon  as  any  infraction 
of  rules,  by  us  at  least.  What  the  Faculty  thought  I  have  never 
learned. 

And  don't  you  remember  the  Fresh  and  Soph  year  rushes  out 
from,  and  into,  Dickinson  Hall  ?  What  fun  they  were  !  How  we 
used  to  get  crushed  out  almost  fiat,  and  laughed  at  the  pain !  What 
cared  we  who  cried  "Fresh  !"  We  enjoyed  it  and  snapped  our  fingers 
at  sage  rebukers.  The  more  disorder  marks  we  got  the  more  we 
liked  it,  and  the  more  exciting  it  was.  There  wouldn't  have  been  a 
speck  of  fun  in  it  had  we  not  seen  Prof.  C,  rod  in  hand,  administering 
marks  innumerable  to  those  luckless  enough  to  have  incurred  his  dis- 
pleasure. I  wonder  if  Billy  Sponsler  remembers  the  day  when  he  was 
requested,  urged,  commanded  to  use  the  strength  contained  in  that 
Belviderean  form  for  the  purpose  of  forcing  a  passage  outward,  and 
he  got  lots  of  straight  marks  opposite  his  name,  because  it  was  evi- 
dent he  was  trying  to  keep  the  door-way  blocked. 

The  most  remarkable  instance  of  resistance  to  authority  was  that 
of  our  Port  Jervis  friend,  when  he  persisted  in  his  right  to  leave  the 
room  after  the  twelve  o'clock  bell  had  rung.  It  was  in  Junior  year  ; 
the  class  had  been  so  disorderly  as  to  interrupt  the  recitation,  and  the 
Professor  determined  to  take  the  time  necessary  to  finish  it  after 
twelve  o'clock.  The  fellows,  as  usual,  hallooed  "time,"  but  Botsford 
got  mad.     He  rose  to  his  feet,  remarking,  "I'm  going." 

"  Sit  down,  sir,"  said  the  Professor. 

"The  twelve  o'clock  bell  has  rung,"  from  Botsford. 

"  It  makes  no  difference,  sir  ;  sit  down." 

Botsford  was  making  for  the  door  all  the  while,  and  was  just 
about  retiring  from  the  room  when  there  came  the  ominous  words  : 

"Mr.  Botsford,  you  will  appear  before  the  Faculty  to-night,  and 
answer  tor  your  conduct." 

He  took  the  dread  summons  like  a  man,  acted  like  a  hero  for  a 
time,  and  came  out,  well — well. 

The  poor  unfortunates  on  the  front  row  couldn't  have  any  part 
in  the  liui  going  on  all  around.     That  glorious  privilege  and  high  dis- 


HISTORY  OK  THE  CLASS  OK  '74.  79 

trictive  prerogative  was  reserved  for  the  small  boys  who  took  back 
scats. 

They  could  enjoy  themselves,  we  couldn't.  They  could  chewto- 
bacco,  and  spit  any  place  they  pleased  without  being  told  they  were 
in  a  ] »arlor  and  it  was  unseemly  to  soil  the  carpet,  which  etiquette- 
founded  maxim  it  was  Bluch's  misfortune  to  hear  every  recitation. 
Then  Bluch  would  act  mean  and  try  to  blame  it  on  Croco  or  S.  Cooke 
or  O.  of  that  name,  who  all  sat  in  the  rear  of  him,  none  of  whom  ever  in- 
dulged in  the  use  of  the  narcotic,  I  think.  As  to  Croco  and 
Orestes  I  can't  state  positively  ;  but  Caius  never.  Why  one  day  when 
Cam  told  him  his  book  smelt  most  horribly  of  tobacco  smoke,  Caius 
indignantly  repudiated  the  assertion,  and  maligned  the  olfactories  of 
the  aforesaid  Professor. 

There  were  some  of  us  who  never  could  make  a  good  recitation. 
Just  as  we  had  finished  reading  the  text,  and,  with  the  inevitable 
"please  to  translate,  sir,"  (sounding  more  like  "may  you  be  swamped,'' 
than  "God  speed  you,")  ringing  in  your  ears,  had  launched  out,  think- 
ing only  of  safe  seas  and  fair  skies ;  just  as  we  were  under  good 
headway,  and  steering  straight  for  "one  hundred,"  we  avouUI  fetch 
hard  up  against  some  ugly  black  branch  of  a  tough  root,  or  would 
find  a  perfect  whirlwind  of  hideous  derivations  howling  about  our  ears. 
Or  if  we  had  gotten  nicely  started,  the  first  interruption  would  be  the 
changing  of  some  word  for  its  synonym  which  did  not  express  the 
delicate  shade  of  meaning  half  as  well  as  our  own,  we  thought ;  that 
bar  passed,  the  next  grate  on  our  keel  would  be, 

"  Take  your  feet  down,  sir ;'"  or, 

"  Don't  spit  on  the  floor  ;"  or, 

"Mr.  Peckett,  I  have  already  given  you  two  disorder  marks,  and 
a  few  more  will  summon  you  before  the  Faculty." 

And  then  a  visible  affection  of  our  facial  muscles,  caused  by  a 
prolonged  "p-h-e-w"  from  Mose. 

And  how  often  have  we  (I  don't  use  the  pronoun  editorially) ; 
how  often  have  Ave  stood  up  there,  after  making  a  blundering  recita- 
tion, with  the  only  word  we  knew  staring  us  in  the  face,  and  expect- 
ing to  bring  it  out  with  a  vim,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  raise  our 
grade  away  up,  and  then  hear  the  dismissal,  welco.ne  or  not,  accord- 
ing to  individual  taste,  "That  will  do,  sir." 

How  scared  we  Avere  when  called  up !  All  frightened  out  of  the 
little  Greek  Ave  did  know.  Not  all  scared,  hoAvever,  for  there  were  a 
few  choice  and  splendid  beings,  Avhom  nothing  could  intimidate ;  and 
if  called  upon  to  name  these,  I  would  name  first  of  all  the  Trojan.  Do 
any  of  you  remember  the  Judge's  sallies  of  Avit '?  I  really  feel  sorry  for 
you  if  you  don't.  I  put  some  of  them  on  paper;  but,  alas!  they  have 
disappeared  like  the  other  unlucky  annals  of  our  college  career.  I  put 
some  of  his  puns  and  bon  mots  on  paper,  I  say.  I  Avanted  to  study  on 
them.  I  also  desired  to  transmit  them,  as  a  sort  of  sacred  legacy  to 
the  class,  to  be  preserved  against  the  time  when  it  might  be  profi cable 
for  us,  as  humble  men  in  a  different  sphere,  to  recall  the  youthful  gibes 
and  jokes  of  the  great  one.     I  can't  bring  one  of  them  to  mind ;  they 


80  HISTORY  OK  THK  CLASS  OK  '74. 

are  irrevocably  lost  to  posterity.  They  were  deep;  they  would  have 
impressed  you  even  at  this  length  of  time,  and  though  deprived  of  the 
well-nigh  indispensable  adjuncts  of  their  surroundings.  If  I  ever  find 
them  I  will  publish  them  separately,  as  a  splendid  addition  to  any  pri- 
vate library.  I  don't  mean  the  Judge's  alone,  though  they  were  vol- 
uminous enough,  but  Jim  Scarlet's,  and  T.  Boyd's,  and  Erne  Smith's, 
and  Dauerty's — all  the  sayings  of  all  the  brilliant  wits  Ave  were  so 
proud  to  claim.  But  it  may  be  as  well  that  Judge's  have  gone;  for, 
aside  from  the  fact  that  the  unraveling  of  them  would  consume  more 
time  than  could  well  be  taken  from  the  business  pursuits  which  now 
engross  so  much  of  our  attention,  they  lose  all  their  charm  when  not 
heard  from  the  lips  of  the  Judge  himself. 

I  had  once  an  intention  of  contrasting  Jimmy  and  the  Judge, 
merely  for  the  sake  of  showing  the  fine  points  of  each.  Jimmy's  jokes 
were  more  profound  ;  Judge  had  the  finer  delivery.  Jimmy  always 
relieved  himself  of  his  pent  up  wit  with  bent  brows  and  anxious  look, 
followed  by  a  jovial  guffaw,  and  a  self  satisfied  rub  of  the  hands;  on 
the  other  hand,  Judge's  fine,  intelligent  face  would  beam  with  mirth, 
and  his  whole  bearing  would  indicate  that  something  funny  was  com- 
ing. You  know,  I  had  more  opportunity  to  observe  Judge  closely 
than  some  of  you  had.  lie  and  I  were  of  the  unfortunates  who  took 
Greek  in  Junior  year,  and  I  spent  much  time  studying  the  Judge, 
polling  him  up.  It  Avas  a  good  thing  he  Avas  there  ;  for  John  lieid 
will  bear  me  out  in  saying  that  Thucydides  Avas  hard,  and  Ave  wanted 
something  to  relieve  the  monotony. 

Another  splendid  luminary  Avho  lit  up  the  siege  of  Troy  and  made 
brilliant  the  glories  of  Athens  was  George,  the  politician.  Jacobs 
and  Henney  did  have  the  aiqfullest  time  in  Greek,  not  forgetting 
Herman.  There  Avere  not  twenty  felloAvs  in  the  Avhole  class  Avho 
unitedly  dropped  so  many  trans  leaAres  on  the  floor  and  shuffled  around 
so  much  to  pick  them  up ;  Avho  did  so  much  loud  Avhispering  in  the 
Avay  of  prompting,  and  so  much  low,  annoyingly  Ioav,  talking  in  the 
way  of  continued,  uninterrupted  conversation,  or  spirited  argument 
from  the  beginning  of  the  recitation  until  its  close.  Jacobs  did  not 
get  along  so  Avell  in  Greek  as  he  might  have  done  had  more  opportu- 
nities been  afforded  to  inveigh  against  the  existing  government  in 
America,  and  to  laud  the  principles  and  aims  of  the  Democracy.  True, 
Themistocles  might  have  given  him  a  chance  in  the  matter  of  public 
corruption,  and  the  character  of  Dionysius  might  have  furnished  a 
fertile  theme  on  Avhich  to  base  a  discussion  of  the  martial  laAV  ques- 
tion ;  but  to  Jakey  the  Greek  Avas  so  enigmatical,  so  mixed  up,  that  he 
never  could  find  out  rightly  what  the  former  did,  or  what  the  latter 
advocated. 

There  Avas  no  felloAv  in  the  class  Avho  so  persistently  lost  the  place 
as  O.  Cook ;  no  fellow  Avho  looked  so  profoundly  learned  as  Ruby  ; 
no  fellow  Avho  Avrote  so  many  notes  as  the  felloAv  Avho  sent  them  to 
Deems,  and  got  mad  if  they  Avere  not  passed,  even  Avhen  in  the  Presi- 
dent's recitation  the  Doctor  got  angry  at  Avhat  he  considered  a  Avant 
of  proper  attention. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  81 

I  low  we  used  to  hate  Greek  examinations!  It  was  such  dry 
stuff  to  cram,  and  the  examinations  were  so  awfully  long.  There 
was  the  subject  written  on  the  black-board,  staring  you  right  in  the 
face  as  you  entered  the  door,  and  no  matter  where  you  went  in  the 
room  the  white  letters  frowned  at  you.  And  the  door  was  all  covered 
with  paper,  so  a  fellow  couldn't  catch  the  faintest  glimpse  of  the  board. 
There  was  no  stealing  of  examination  papers  here  and  no  getting 
at  the  thing  in  any  way.  One  night  before  examination  a  party  did 
enter  Dickinson  Hall  to  discover  what  passage  was  up  for  next  day. 
When  after  an  infinite  deal  of  trouble  they  reached  the  room  they 
found  the  black-board  a  blank,  and  learned  too  late  that  the  subject 
was  not  written  until  just  before  the  time  for  entering  the  room.  Let 
us  see  what  the  instructions  used  to  be  :  "Translate  the  passage  liter- 
ally. Parse  all  the  nouns,  adjectives,  verbs  and  pronouns ;  give  the 
the  synonym,  and  exhaust  the  derivation  of  all  underscored  words  ; 
express  the  difference  between  yprj  and  on,  etc.,  etc.  If  it  wasn't  <id 
infinitum  it  was  at  least  up  to  twelve  or  one  o'clock. 

But  all  the  riot  and  disorder  culminated  in  Greek  Testament  reci- 
tations in  Senior  year.  In  vain  were  teachings,  in  vain  expostula- 
tion, in  vain  warnings.  They  were  always  overturned  by  a  sup- 
pressed "  Oh  !  my  "  from  Mose,  and  the  good  effect  Avas  lost  in  the 
"  inextinguishable  laughter  of  the  gods.  "  Some  of  the  boys,  looking 
at  our  performances  in  the  calm  dispassionate  light  of  men  of  the 
world  and  of  business,  say  our  carryings  on  Avere  naughty,  rude,  un- 
kind, and,  in  Senior  year,  horribly  sacreligious.  Perhaps  so ;  but  it 
was  fun,  and  each  man's  conscience  reconciled  him  to  it.  WhatAvould 
you  have,  a  class  of  mopes?     Of  two  evils  ehoose  the  least. 


82  HISTOKY  or  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


CHAPTER  II. 

(BEING    SUPPLEMENTARY    TO    THE    LAST.) 

"No  negroes  have  'round,  unvarnished  tales,' 

''Othello  had  a  'round,  unvarnished  tale,' 

"  Therefore, 

"Othello  was  not  a  negro."     (0.  Cooke.) 

"  The  character  of  Desderaona  is  like  a  sunbeam  reclining  on  a 
bank  of  violets."     (J.  S.  H.) 

"  Poe  was  a  great  poet."     (Dershimer.)* 

What  do  these  syllogistic  and  rhetorical  quotations  recall  1  Do 
they  not  transport  you  to  Junior  and  Senior  year,  and  more  remotely 
to  the  days  of  the  great  bard  they  so  finely  illustrate  !  Please  reply  af- 
linnatively  to  both  questions.  It  all  comes  up  to  me,  and  I  will  sup- 
pose it  does  to  you.  There  rings  in  my  ear  a  tine  voice,  and  in  im- 
agination I  am  led  back  to  that  well-remembered  time  when  the  love 
passages  of  Shakspeare  were  presented  to  us  with  so  marked  an  effect. 
A  humorous  writer  of  the  present  century  has  remarked  that  the  peo- 
ple of  the  bard's  native  town  religiously  cherish  his  memory  "and 
make  it  profitable  cherishin'  it."  He  scarcely  need  have  gone  away 
from  America  to  find  one  to  whom  the  "cherishin'  "  has  been  exceed- 
ingly profitable  ;  and  he  didn't  "cherish"  worth  much  either. 

The  philosophers,  the  novelists,  the  poets,  the,  statesmen,  the  lit- 
terateurs of  England  and  America,  how  often  we  heard  about  them, 
and  how  much  we  learned  concerning  them  !  For  how  many  delightful 
hours  have  we  sat  under  the  spell  of  the  magician  who  presided  over 
us,  with  those  splendid  compendiums  of  literature  lying  on  our  knees, 
closed  books,  not  allowed  even  to  peep  under  the  cover,  drinking  in 
wisdom  and  enlightenment  by  inspiration  and  absorption  as  it  were. 
How  many  treatises  we  wrote,  and  how  neat  our  manuscripts  were  ; 
and  how  it  did  detract  from  the  merits  of  an  essay  if  it  Avas  rolled  up, 
or  folded,  or  had  one  little  tiny  wrinkle.  All  these  thoughts  come 
to  us  at  the  mention  of  our  delvings  and  toilings  in  the  mines  of  Eng- 
lish and  American  literature.  I  had  almost  forgotten  rhetoric — it  was 
just  as  good  and  just  as  profitable  as  the  other  branches.  We  sat  in 
the  same  seats  and  heard  the  same  sounds  in  it  as  in  the  others.  It 
was  just  as  good. 

But  what  I  wanted  was  to  recall  to  your  attention  the  times  and 
ways  in  which,  and  by  which,  we  kicked  against  the  traces.  How  we 
revolted ;  how  we  whistled  and  sang  and  "threw  things"  and  made 
ourselves  generally  odious  and  disagreeable.  I  scarcely  know  how 
to  bring  to  mind  all  the  little  grievances  and  petty  insults  we  made  use  of, 
in  our  reckless  spirit  of  insubordination.  I  would  not  make  the  en- 
deavor did  I  not  fall  to  moralizing  occasionally,  and,  wishing  for  your 

*I  have  inserted  the  names  of  these  illustrious  authors  in  order  that  the  remembrance 
of  the  distinguished  gentlemen  may  be  ever  green  in  the  minds  of  all. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  83 

welfare,  believe  that  some  day  good  might  result  from  musing  on  what 
we  were  and  on  what  we  might  have  been.  What  we  were  !  We 
were  the  wildest,  most  heathenish,  impudent  set  of  rogues  that  ever 
undertook  to  meet  a  Professor.  I  found  that  my  powers  of  descriptive 
narrative  were  signally  feeble  when  I  attempted  in  the  last  chapter  to  de- 
scribe our  pranks  in  the  Greek  recitations,  and  our  Greek  recitations 
were  orderly  compared  with  those  now  under  review.  From  the  mo- 
ment of  entering  the  room  till  that  of  leaving  it  there  was  one  con- 
tinual uproar.  The  calling  of  the  roll  was  the  signal  for  the  festivi- 
ties of  the  hour,  and  the  gypsy  revels  which  dazed  the  mind  of  that 
old  Silenus,  O'Shauter,  would  have  seemed  innocent  amusements  if 
perpetrated  in  our  class  room. 

Here  Hendrickson  usurped  the  place  of  Mose.  And  when  Ilen- 
drickson  left  there  was  no  successor  rightly  so  called.  A  few  aspir- 
ing souls  essayed  to  fill  his  place,  and  but  partially  succeeded.  In  a 
lecture  no  character  was  mentioned  but  Hendrickson  found  his  coun- 
terpart in  a  classmate  ;  and  the  announcement  of  the  name  was  alive 
minutes'  interruption  of  the  lecture  by  laughter.  Some  of  his  hits 
were  exceedingly  good  ;  some  of  his  likenesses  extremely  aywopos,  at 
least,  so  Ave  thought  then.  The  languishing  Romeo  found  his  coun- 
terpart in  Bobby  who  roomed  with  Buchanan,  and  who  once  before 
figured  in  these  pages  ;  Falstaff  was  Freddy  ;  the  calculating  Iago  was 
Nick  (not  Michael  Angelo;)  Desdemona  was  personated  by  Leddy  ; 
the  Judge  was  everybody  from  Proteus  to  Ben  Butler,  from  Shylock 
to  Jim  Johnson. 

Though  in  Soph  year  '74  was  represented  in  '72's  hazing  recita- 
tion, I  will  pass  that  by  with  just  a  bare  mention.  John  Walker  on 
that  memorable  day  sat  on  the  back  row,  and  you  ought  to  have 
heard  the  way  he  screeched.  He  even  mentioned  hot-scotch  as  an 
inducement  to  the  temperate  Professor  to  leave  the  room  ;  and  Kit 
Carson  took  upon  himself  to  inform  him  that  it  wTas  a  species  of  com- 
plimentary reception.  Kit  afterwards  very  much  wished  he  hadn't 
stamped  and  hallooed  so  much  on  that  occasion.  The  Faculty  looked 
on  his  innocent,  childish  mirth  with  marked  disapproval. 

Of  course,  there  was  a  good  boy  in  these  recitations.  You  have 
guessed  him  already,  I  don't  doubt.  It  was  Angelo,  known  more  fa- 
miliarly in  literary  circles  as  Nick,  Nick  Angelo.  Nick  always  wanted 
to  do  something,  and  appreciated  the  fun  as  much  as  anybody,  and 
yet  he  didn't  like  to  act  disorderly  ;  paradoxical,  isn't  it  ?  Allow  me 
to  explain.  He  was  a  soil  of  Mark  Antony,  except  that  he  witnessed 
the  killing  and  was  not  gratified  at  a  sight  of  the  death  ;  nor  would  he 
have  received  one  half  so  much  benefit  from  Caesar's  death  as  lie  did 
from  his  life.  Those  complimentary  speeches  in  regard  to  his  essays 
did  the  business  for  Nick  ;  they  tickled  his  palate  and  he  refrained 
from  molesting  the  caterer. 

Lyman,  all  hough  he  recited  remarkably  well  for  one  of  his  years 
and  scholastic  training,  and  though  he  was  always  on  hand  at  recita 
lion  lime,  and  though  he  rarely  said  " unprepared, "  still  he  did  not 
get  along  in  this  branch  comfortably.      I  mean    some   one    was  either 


8-1  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 

hallooing  at  him  from  clear  across  the  room,  or  throwing  at  him,  or 
pulling  his  hair,  or  poking  him  with  a  cane,  or  mentioning  his  name 
at  unseemly  times  or  in  disagreeable  connections,  or  disturbing  him  in 
some  way.  Besides  he  sat  on  the  front  row  and  could  only  laugh,  so 
he  was  deprived  of  a  great  part  of  the  daily  delight  which  kept  jolly 
the  rest  of  the  class.  The  only  times  he  seemed  happy  was  when 
Berg,  Beach  and  himself  could  get  into  a  violent  discussion  and  inter- 
rupt the  progress  of  the  recitation  in  that  way.  But  you  remember 
we  were  not  always  noisy ;  the  volcanic  eruptions  were  intermittent. 
Occasionally  the  recitations  would  pass  oft*  without  any  interruptions, 
except  a  harmless,  and  but  slightly  disturbing  wrestling  match  on  the 
back  seat,  or  a  set-to  between  a  couple  of  aspiring  pugilists  in  another 
part  of  the  room.  The  hum  of  conversation  was  always  a  pleasant 
accompaniment  to  the  discourse. 

Once,  if  you  remember,  it  was  decided  impossible  to  have  us  to- 
gether any  longer,  and  a  division  was  made  by  alternating  the  mem- 
bers of  the  class.  Everything  worked  charmingly  for  awhile  then. 
Each  one  was  separated  from  his  neighbor  with  whom  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  concert  diabolical  schemes  of  mischief,  and  with  whom  he 
had  been  accustomed  to  converse.  The  boys  were  put  so  far  apart 
they  couldn't  talk,  and  to  have  a  new  fellow  next  to  you  was  like 
forming  a  new  acquaintance.  The  class  was  now  almost  entirely 
quiet,  and  the  recitations  were  so  long.  Soon  the  reaction  came,  and 
in  this  shape : 

One  day  a  notice  was  pinned  on  the  door  of  Dickinson  Hall, 
written  in  the  hand  of,  and  appearing  to  come  from  the  pen  of,  our  Pro- 
fessor of  Belles  Lettres.  It  was  on  the  same  tinted  paper  on  which 
he  was  accustomed  to  pen  his  interesting  compendium  of  facts  and 
dates,  and  was  to  the  effect  that  instead  of  coming  separately  the 
whole  class  would  meet  at  eleven  o'clock.  The  joke  was  a  little  too 
apparent,  but  no  one  thought  of  that,  or  stopped  to  inquire  into  the 
consequences  ;  we  were  all  too  anxious  to  meet  and  repeat  the  acts 
and  deeds  of  the  past.  So  at  eleven  in  we  went  and  took  our  seats. 
The  bell  stopped  ringing  ;  the  talking  ceased.  All  the  faces  of  the 
room  showed  expectancy,  but  only  one  seemed  agitated,  and  that  was 
the  countenance  of  our  Professor.  Eagerly,  anxiously  he  looked 
around  as  if  dreading  an  outbreak  ;  none  came,  and  emboldened  he 
confidently  remarked, 

"The  members  of  the  First  division  must" the  remainder  of  the 

sentence  was  lost.  We  were  opposed  to  downright  disobedience  and 
did  not  wish  to  hear.  Several  times  an  eftbrtwas  made  to  pronounce 
sentence  upon  the  unfortunate  First,  but  in  vain.  Nothing  could  be 
distinguished  until  the  noise  subsided,  when  again  the  command  but 
half  repeated  was  again  lost.  Despairing  of  being  heard  from  the 
rostrum,  rod  in  hand,  the  lecturer  advanced  to  the  seats,  and  address 
ing  each  one  separately  he  managed  to  make  himself  heard  and  dis- 
tinctly understood.  There  was  no  mistake  about  it,  the  First  division 
must  leave  the  room.  They  left  their  seats  and  started  for  the  door, 
but  only  part  succeeded  in  reaching  the  outside.     You  remember  the 


H1ST0KY  OF  THE  CLASS  OV  '74.  85 

ittle  hall-way  which  one  encounters  going  into  the  chemical  room  ? 
Well,  it  has  two  doors,  and  the  fellows  who  reached  the  open  air 
closed  and  held  the  outer  door,  resisting  the  purposely  feeble  attempts 
of  those  within.  The  Doctor  went  out  to  investigate  the  cause  of  the 
blockade,  when  the  inner  door  being  locked  he  found  himself  entrap- 
ped. Then  we  did  have  a  time.  We  praised  the  ingenuity  or 
crooked  brain  of  the  architect  who  had  contrived  that  opportune  pass- 
age, praised  him,  and  lauded  the  deed  with  shouts  and  peals  of  laughter. 
Our  glee  was  perfectly  demoniacal.  We  jumped  and  danced,  and  threw 
hats  and  books,  and  tore  up  chairs,  and  ran  about  like  mad.  And 
what  is  more  Ave  all  did  it.  The  staid  forgot  their  dignity  and  sobrie- 
ty, came  down  to  the  common  level,  and  made  as  much  noise  as  the 
worst.  I  never  saw  the  fellows  in  such  delight  before  ;  Pap  Neese 
laughed  until  the  tears  ran  down  his  face,  and  he  had  to  hold  to  his 
chair  to  keep  from  rolling  off.  Winans  and  Billy  Westervelt  each 
got  upon  a  chair,  and  screamed  most  lustily.  How  Nick  enjoyed  it. 
Disorder  marks  can't  be  administered  through  two  inches  of  board, 
and  the  essayist  may  defy  the  critic  when  defended  by  deal. 

But  when  you  overload  a  magnet  by  adding  weights  until  the  load 
is  greater  than  it  can  bear  the  load  drops  off;  and  so  it  was  with 
this  door.  Toward  it,  as  to  a  centre  of  attraction,  were  drawn  too 
many  scrapings  ;  and  as  only  two  could  by  any  possibility  hold  the 
knob,  and  as  all  the  rest  held  them,  and  pulled  them,  the  result  was  a 
most  disastrous  slipping  away,  and  after  a  vigorous  push  from  the 
other  side,  an  opening  of  the  door.  In  bounced  the  irate  Professor. 
The  alacrity  with  which  the  opposite  side  of  the  room  was  attained 
was  simply  incredible  ;  and  the  eager  and  attentive  crowd  which 
surrounded  the  lecture-desk,  taking  down  the  tables  from  the  black- 
board, would  have  favorably  impressed  any  one  Avho  had  just  then  en- 
tered the  room.  Could  the  Doctor  have  forgotten  the  occurrence 
of  a  moment  before  it  would  have  undoubtedly  given  him  intense  sat- 
isfaction to  see  so  many  diligently  studious  of  his  branch.  The  outer 
door  was  now  found  to  be  open,  and  no  one  in  sight,  so  the  First 
speedily  departed. 

Order  was  restored,  and  the  lesson  went  on.  Outside,  however, 
several  schemes  of  Avorriment  Avere  being  assiduously  perfected — 
schemes  which  threatened  a  sad  disturbance  to  our  tranquillity.  The 
first  intimation  Ave  received  of  an  attack  Avas  Avhen  in  the  midst  of  a 
highly  interesting  account  of  Poe's  Raven  the  lecturer  was  just  re- 
marking that  he  made  an  "ex "  he  suddenly  stopped "traordi- 

ordinary  hit,"  Avas  Avhat  he  probably  intended  to  say  ;  had  not  the 
fates  and  the  First  division  interposed  Avitli  a  scarcely  literary  finale, 
put  in  a  practical  shape.  A  report,  seemingly  loud  enough  and  strong 
enough  to  have  shattered  any  AvindoAV  not  warranted  snoAV-ball  proof, 
and  a  concussion  Avhich  appeared  poAverful  enough  to  1)1oav  the  build- 
ings to  atoms,  Avas  the  cause  of  the  interruption.  The  doors  were 
blown  open,  smoke  poured  in,  and  the  room  became  stiflingly  filled. 
We  innocents  Avere  compelled  to  pay  a  penalty  for  the  fun  of  the 
guilty  ones  ;   for,  with  commendable  grit,  the  lecturer  stuck  it  out. 


86  HISTORY  OF  TIIK  CLASS  OF  '74. 

The  smoke  gradually  disappeared ;  we  were  breathing  more  freely, 
when  in  came  a  broom,  several  stones,  an  old  hat  and  older  shoe, 
a  tin  kettle — projectiles  unlooked  for,  hard  to  dodge,  and  which  in 
striking  inflicted  sundry  abrasions  and  raised  numerous  bumps  not 
induced  by  severe  mental  training.  But  the  last  article  which  in 
vaded  the  room  was  of  a  very  distasteful  character.  All  the  things 
which  had  preceded  it  were  large  and  formidable  looking;  this  was  only 
a  little  box.  No  one  noticed  it  as  it  came  in  the  room,  describing 
graceful  circles  and  sprinkling  sparkling  drops  of  some  waterydooking 
liquid  in  its  course;  it  was  such  a  small  bottle.  It  Avas  too  insignifi- 
cant to  take  any  notice  of  as  it  lay  ebbing  and  gurgling  its  life  away 
on  the  floor;  too  insignificant  to  take  any  notice  of,  but  to  smell! 
phew !  Soon  a  pungent,  nauseous,  disagreeable  odor  impregnated 
every  particle  of  atmosphere  in  the  room — an  odor  savoring  of  battle 
fields,  of  bad  onions  and  worse  eggs — an  odor  redolent  with  the  vilest 
smells  known  to  the  olfactories  of  the  human  race,  sulphuretted  hy- 
drogen. 

Was  there  another  branch  in  which  there  was  so  much  wholesale 
cheating  at  examinations?  Was  there  a  fellow  in  the  class  who 
always  got  his  essays  in  on  time  except  Nicholas?  And  did  you  ever 
hear  read  the  names  of  the  poor,  lazy,  dilatory  fellows,  and  then  wait 
after  class  and  hear  the  excuses  Bingham,  and  Groesbeck  and  Comp- 
ton  would  make  ? 

I  don't  think  any  one  in  the  class  took  notes  as  persistently  and  as 
poorly  as  Croco.  He  took  notes  all  the  time  and  on  all  imaginable 
and  imaginary  subjects,  even  on  explanations  of  the  next  lesson  ;  any- 
thing under  the  sun  that  a  Professor  said  Croke  used  to  put  down. 
And  if  he  didn't  catch  an  idea  he  used  to  disturb  his  neighbors  by 
making  inquiries  concerning  it.  In  fact  between  Croke's  note-taking 
and  O.  Cooke's  inquisitiveness,  and  Henney's  talking  with  Herman, 
and  Bluch's  tobacco  and  the  consequent  danger  of  our  shoes,  we  pur- 
sued knowledge  under  difficulties  in  our  section  of  the  class.  One 
cause  of  inattention  and  consequent  ignorance  of  the  subject  in  our 
part  of  the  room  was  the  eager  desire  which  all  exhibited  to  obtain 
their  full  share  of  the  candy  which  "  Joe  "  Parker  used  to  bring  and 
distribute  liberally  in  the  proportion  of  one  caramel  to  the  pound  be- 
tween two  fellows.  Another  thing  which  interfered  with  a  proper 
enjoyment  of  the  Shakspearean  lectures  was  the  singular  way  in  which 
some  fellows  forgot  copies  of  the  play.  No  fellow  likes  to  take  a  book 
to  class  and  have  ten  fellows  around  him  trying  to  look  on  and  fight- 
ing for  the  best  place.  That  isn't  conducive  to  attentiveness.  Nor  is 
it  satisfactory  to  lug  a  huge  edition  of  Shakspeare  from  one's  room 
to  the  recitation  and  then  only  catch  an  imperfect  sight  of  the  lower 
left  hand  corner.  The  Avild  and  frantic  endeavors  to  keep  possession 
of  one's  property  were  opposed  to  that  mental  condition  necessary  for 
a  proper  appreciation  of  the  subject.  And  often  when  one  of  the  fel- 
lows would  show  a  degree  of  attention,  a  fixedness  of  eye  on  the 
printed  page,  when  he  had  an  appearance  of  application  which  must 
have  been  most  gratifying  to  the  instructor,  at  such  a  time  a  closer 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  74.  87 

view  would  develop  the  fact  that  his  studies  in  English  literature  had 
reference  to  a  time  posterior  by  several  centuries  to  Avon's  bard,  and 
were  confined  to  Thackeray,  Dickens,  or  maybe  to  George  W.  II. 
Reynolds,  Utilization  of  time  seemed  to  be  the  problem  whose  solu- 
tion was  most  earnestly  sought  after  by  both  Professor  and  student. 
How  many  things  one  could  do  at  the  same  time  !  To  illustrate, 
Bluch  always  worked  out  original  propositions  in  recitation  time,  and 
a  certain  member  of  the  Faculty  "chawed"  his  nails. 


88  HISTORY  OF  TIIK  CLASS  OF  '74. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

FIIYSICS    AND    ASTRONOMY. 

Our  Junior  year  recitation  in  the  top  of  Dickinson  Hall  and  our 
Senior  year  gatherings  in  Geological  Hall !  Horns,  physics  and  tiro- 
crackers  !  Chestnuts,  astronomy  and  noise  !  Fires,  not  celestial, 
in  all  quarters  of  the  room !  Demonstrations  of  force  not  provided 
for  by  physical  formula  !  The  music  of  the  spheres  typified  by  jews- 
harps  !  Order  never ;  confusion  always  !  The  displays  of  wit  with 
which  we  used  to  be  regaled !  Who  does  not  remember  all  these  things  ? 

Who  was  leader  here  I  can't  recall ;  everybody  was  more  or  less 
concerned.  Back  seats  were  greatly  in  demand,  both  because  more 
advantageous  for  displays  of  vocal  and  instrumental  music  and  be- 
cause aifording  more  easy  means  of  exit  than  those  further  front. 
Projectiles  of  any  description  whatever  were  also  much  desired,  judg- 
ing from  the  amount  of  fighting  and  scrambling  nsed  in  the  endeavor 
after  the  possession  of  worm-eaten  chestnuts.  There  were  many  ob- . 
jects  in  Dickinson  Hall  offering  excellent  marks  for  practice  in  throw 
ing — the  old  clock,  Atwood's  machine  and  the  Doctor's  colored  as- 
sistant. The  last  subject  was  an  exceedingly  good  one,  on  account 
of  his  occasionally  becoming  refractory,  and  creating  some  disorder 
by  requesting  the  boys  to  "  stop  that "  in  an  exceedingly  rude  and 
gruff  tone  of  voice.  The  demand  not  being  complied  with,  the  rage 
of  the  colored  gentleman  would  often  exceed  the  bounds  of  decency 
and  polite  behavior,  interrupting  the  lecture  temporarily. 

Suppose  we  seat  ourselves  in  the  room  and  listen  to  the  lecture, 
if  we  can,  and  the  class,  which  we  must ;  of  the  former  we  can  catch 
but  snatches,  provided  we  are  on  the  front  row.  We  hear  sundry  in- 
comprehensible allusions  to  the  principles  of  "  virtual  velocity"  (Comp- 
ton  said,  "virtue  of  philosophy"  in  examination),  and  kindred  subjects. 
From  the  latter  we  hear  everything.  The  Professor  picks  up  a  long 
glass  tube ;  "  this,  gentlemen,  is  a  water-hammer,"  and  is  about  to  ex- 
plain, when  Jake  ventures,  "what-er  hammer!"  The  lecture  is  inter- 
rupted by  a  prolonged  "  O ! "  from  the  class,  and  Yawcup  is  rewarded 
by  a  shower  of  missiles.  The  lecture  goes  on.  Suddenly,  whiz! 
comes  a  chestnut  right  past  your  ear ;  some  expostulation  is,  of  course, 
necessary;  an  animated  conversation  is  held  with  Erne  Smith  or  Peach, 
and  an  urgent  request  made  that  they  will  desist,  when  from  another  cor- 
ner of  the  room  a  better  marksman  takes  you  in  the  back  of  the  head. 
That  was  probably  Tom  Rickets,  but  he  is  too  far  away  to  talk  low,  so 
you  just  halloo  at  him,  and  you  keep  hallooing  till  you  find  that  an  at- 
tempt was  being  made  to  administer  a  disorder  mark.  Put  some 
fellows  don't  get  angry.  Why,  bless  me,  I  have  seen  J.  Parker  "peg 
away"  at  Buchanan,  and  Winans  and  Ledwith  at  recitation  time,  and 
they  would  wink,  but  he  couldn't  make  them  even  look  around.  1 
had  heard  it  faintly  rumored  that  they  were  taking  notes,  but  no  such 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OK  '74.  8!) 

unnecessary  articles  having  been  seen  in  connection  with  this  branch, 
I  believe  the  report  to  have  been  most  foully  libelous.  I  know  Berg 
found  the  Harrisburg  Telegraph  v.astly  more  interesting  than  dis- 
quisitions on  pulleys  that  wouldn't  work,  and  experiments  with  old 
cane-bottomed  chairs.  When  throwing  at  classmates  became  monot- 
onous Atwood's  machine  afforded  much  amusement,  and  the  way  the 
glass  rattled  and  cracked  under  the  steady  lire  was  enough  to  endan- 
ger the  safety  of  the  precious  unworkable  article.  Notwithstanding 
repeated  cautions  as  to  the  value  of  the  instrument,  and  estimates  as 
to  the  cost  if  broken,  the  boys  would  throw. 

Amid  all  the  noises  there  occasionally  came  brilliant  flashes  of 
sarcasm  and  dazzling  rays  of  wit  from  the  rostrum  :  similitudes  to  dogs 
and  donkeys  formed  a  seemingly  inexhaustible  store  from  which  to 
bring  great  quelling  remarks,  It  was  extremely  pleasant  to  be  told 
when  half  way  out  the  door  that  you  had  permission  to  leave  the 
room. 

Those  addicted  to  smoking  were  accustomed  to  while  away  the 
hour  with  a  cigarette  ;  the  literarily  inclined  read  books  and  the  lec- 
ture went  on  amid  many  diversified  occupations.  I  remember  on  one 
occasion  to  have  seen  a  highly  interesting  game  of  euchre  played  on 
the  back  seats.  You  couldn't  hear  anything,  and  couldn't  understand 
anything  if  you  did  hear. 

Another  favorite  course  of  amusement  in  Senior  year  was  the 
building  of  bonfires,  and  several  brilliant  confiagrations  used  to  take 
place  in  different  parts  of  the  room. 

Bluch,  as  usual,  amused  himself  with  propositions  and  Sunny- 
side  ;  Fred.  Williamson  Avas  never  there ;  O.  Cook  chewed  the  end  of 
his  lead  pencil ;  for  the  sake  of  the  P.  S.  C,  "  Doc"  Neff  tried  hard  to 
understand  the  subject,  but  couldn't  make  any  more  out  of  it  than 
anybody  else;  Ruby  and  "Colonel"  M'Clure  knitted  their  brows  and 
tried  to  look  wise ;  Whittlesey  and  Nick  studied  Latin  together,  and 
Croco  took  notes,  or  what  he  called  notes.  I  mentioned  this  peculi- 
arity in  Croco  in  the  last  chapter,  and  I  only  speak  of  it  again  because 
his  idiosyncrasies  Avere  more  strikingly  displayed  in  this  branch  than 
in  any  other.     This  is  a  fair  samjile  of  Croco's  notes : 

"  Venus-of-transit-Moon-Earth  disk-Sun-good-Bear  big-dip." 
Then  the  above  Avords  scratched  out  once  or  tAvice  and  written  over 
again. 

Examinations  Avere  grand.  Somebody  could  always  tell  you 
what  you  Avere  going  to  have,  and  everybody  made  "tears." 

But,  blessings  on  his  gentle  memory,  how  Ave  loved  the  dear  old 
man  !  So  kind  and  genial — as  innocent  as  a  child,  yet  as  noble  as  a 
king.  Perhaps,  in  after  years,  Ave  will  think  painfully  of  the  annoy- 
ances with  which  Ave  grieved  him.  We  not  only  loved  him  as  a  man, 
but  worshiped  the  glorious  intellect  of  the  scholar.  The  good  old 
man,  may  he  for  long,  long  years  take  delight  in  studying  God  in  the 
heavens,  till  he  goes  beyond  them  to  see  him  face  to  face.     May  his 


90  HISTORY  OF  THE  CXASS  OF  '74. 


future  life  be  happy  and  untroubled  as  the  spring-time  of  his  youth, 
and  may  he  sink  to  sleep  in  the  full  consciousness  of  his  noble  deeds, 
in  the  full  enjoyment  of  his  splendid  powers,  and  in  the  sweet  assur- 
ance of  a  battle  nobly  fought,  a  victory  gloriously  won.  God  bless  Dr. 
Stephen  Alexander. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74.  91 


SENIOR  YEAR  INCIDENTS. 

The  opening  of  College  found  almost  all  of  us  back  ready  to  re- 
sume the  arduous  duties  of  Senior  year,  and  fully  impressed  with  the 
importance  of  our  position  as  the  most  learned  of  the  students,  and  as 
the  guardians  of  the  other  classes'  welfare.  We  didn't  do  much  in 
Senior  year  in  the  way  of  boisterous  conduct.  All  our  energy  was 
reserved  for  the  responsible  positions  we  were  to  fill.  The  change  in 
circumstances  completely  metamorphosed  us,  and  we  became  "grave 
old  Seniors"  in  fact  as  well  as  name. 

We  used  to  take  long  rambles  in  the  country,  and  thus  overcome 
the  tendency  to  descend  from  our  dignity  by  joining  in  the  riotous 
proceedings  of  the  other  classes.  Once,  I  remember,  a  large  party 
walked  all  over  Rocky  Hill,  and  down  by  Queenstown,  where  a  name- 
less gentleman  "lost  the  beer"  because  he  couldn't  throw  across  the 
canal. 

On  another  occasion  Mose  and  Jim  went  fishing.  They  fished 
all  day  but  only  caught  one  fish,  and  he  wasn't  much  of  a  fish — a  good 
sized  minnow.     But  they  brought  him  up  to  town  with  much  parade. 

We  were  ordered  to  prepare  for  English  literature  exercise  a 
critique  on  a  character  in  one  of  Shakspeare's  plays,  which  character 
was  to  be  named  by  the  Professor,  and  which  critique  Avas  to  be  con- 
fined strictly  to  the  ideas  and  language  used  in  his  lecture  to  us,  the 
critique  being  most  nearly  like  the  lecture  to  receive  the  highest  grade. 
Originality  was  out  of  the  question.  Ed.  Deems  took  the  fullest  notes 
in  this  branch,  and  when  Prospero  was  given  as  the  subject,  a  deputa- 
tion waited  on  Deems  and  got  his  notes.  They  wrote  them  out  in  full, 
sent  them  to  the  printer,  and  had  enough  copies  struck  oft'  to  furnish 
each  man  in  the  class  with  one.  These  printed  forms  were  handed  in, 
and  we  were  never  again  asked  to  write  that  kind  of  a  critique. 

Five  of  our  boys  were  found  to  be  expert  enough  in  handling  the 
ball  to  go  on  the  University  nine.  Indeed  we  had  representatives  in 
that  organization  ever  since  Sophomore  year,  but  never  so  many 
as  now.  The  members  from  '74  were :  Beach,  3  b. ;  Bruyere,  1  b. ; 
Paton,  c.  f. ;  Van  Deventer,  r.  f. ;  Williamson,  1.  f.  With  Paton  as 
Captain,  the  nine  proved  its  general  excellence  on  many  occasions, 
wresting  the  College  championship  from  the  competing  nines,  and  de- 
feating all  the  amateur  clubs  with  whom  they  came  in  contact. 

One  day  the  room-mates  in  No.  3,  North  Reunion  Hall,  were  sur- 
prised by  a  call  from  a  very  seedy  looking  German,  who  introduced 
himself  by  a  jaw-breaking  name  and  a  most  profound  bow,  announ- 
cing at  the  same  time  that  he  bore  a  letter  of  introduction  from  Spons. 
The  letter  ran  thus : 

"Berg  and  Jai — Here  is  a  poor  but  worthy  German.  Do  what 
you  can  for  him.  Spons." 

The  request  was  complied  with ;  Billy's  friends  did  what  they 
could  for  him.     He  pretended  that  he  was  a  card-writer.     He  wouldn't 


HISTORY  OK  THE  CLASS  OK  '74.  02 

write  a  card  for  them,  but  showed  them  some  he  had  written.  They 
were  satisfied  with  the  chirography  and  the  recommendation  and  gave 
him  orders  to  the  extent  of  one  dollar  apiece.  Neither  the  German 
nor  the  cards  ever  appeared.  But  then  William  Henry's  charity  al- 
ways did  exhibit  itself  like  Crawford's,  "  Oh  !  this  honor,  this  dam- 
ning honor  " — at  some  other  person's  expense. 

Our  class-day  elections  came  off  in  the  second  session.  A  great 
deal  of  interest  was  excited,  and  the  contests  were  close.  The  follow- 
ing were  chosen  to  serve  as  orators  and  class-day  committeemen  : 

Master  of  Ceremonies — Charles  II.  Bergner,  Pennsylvania, 

Class  Orator — Walter  D.  Nicholas,  New  Jersey. 

Class  Poet — William  F.  Henney,  Connecticut. 

Memorial  Orator — Edward  M.  Deems,  New  York. 

Presentation  Orator — James  Scarlet,  Pennsylvania. 

Prophet — Andrew  F.  West,  Kentucky. 

Campus  Orator — Cyrus  O.  Dershimer,  Pennsylvania, 

President — Alex.  P.  Whitehill,  Pennsylvania. 

Class  Historian  (elected  in  Fresh  year) — Alex.  C.  Crawford, 
Pennsylvania. 

Class-day  Committee — Thomas  II.  Atherton,  Chairman  ;  A.  Cass 
Canfield,  Joseph  Parker,  Jr.,  John  W.  Fielder,  Jr.,  John  T.  Stuart, 
George  S.  Lewis,  J.  II.  Van  Dcventer. 

Herald  Editors — Henry  E.  Mott,  Edward  K.  Strong,  James  C. 
Pigeon,  Charles  F.  Whittlesey. 

We  deliberated  a  long  time  as  to  what  we  should  present  to  the 
college.  A  committee  was  appointed,  and  many  reports  heard  and 
suggestions  made.  Finally  a  spectroscope  was  decided  upon,  and 
purchased. 

Several  of  the  fellows  graduated  at  the  end  of  the  second  term: 
Crothers,  Field,  Ilarsha,  Hinckley,  Hull,  Mann,  Pobison  and  Bingham. 

Our  final  examinations  all  passed  off  well,  and  we  could  not  realize 
that  we  were  theoretically  Alumni :  that  in  a  few  days  we  should  bid 
farewell  to  college  life  forever.  It  seemed  so  singular  that  we  were 
going  to  take  a  long  vacation.  To  most  of  us  Princeton  had  been  a 
dome  for  four  years  ;  and  we  were  to  leave  it  for  unfamiliar  scenes,  to 
change  our  old  associates  for  new  and  untried  ones. 

We  enjoyed  hugely  the  two  weeks'  vacation  given  us  before 
commencement  week.  We  loafed  on  the  Campus  all  the  time,  and 
were  heartily  envied  by  those  who  were  forced  to  study  for  examina- 
tions during  the  long,  hot  days.  Our  friends  began  to  arrive, find  our 
time  was  occupied  in  showing  them  around  the  College  buildings  and 
in  making  their  visit  as  agreeable  as  possible. 

Saturday,  June  20th,  witnessed  the  Caledonian  games  of  the 
Princeton  Athletic  Club.  Seventy-four  carried  off  a  majority  of  the 
prizes.  Marquand,  Van  Deventer  and  Beach  distinguished  themselves 
above  all  other  contestants. 

The  prize  for  general  excellence  was  awarded  to  J.  IT.  Van  Dev- 
enter, he  having  won  a  majority  of  the  scores. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  74.  93 


On  Sunday  Dr.  M'Cosh  delivered  the  Baccalaureate  sermon  to 
a  large  audience  assembled  in  the  "First  Church."  The  subject  of 
his  discourse  was  "Living  for  a  high  end,"  and  was  founded  on  the 
text,  "Whether,  therefore,  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do 
all  to  the  glory  of  God."  The  sermon  was  listened  to  with  intense 
interest,  and  pronounced  extremely  tine.  The  address  to  the  gradu- 
ating class  contained  sound  advice,  and  was  tinged  with  sadness  at 
the  thought  of  parting. 

Monday  our  class-day  opened  up  bright  and  pleasant.  The  day 
could  not  have  been  liner,  and  the  boys  awoke  determined  to  enjoy  all 
the  pleasures  incident  to  the  occasion.  The  Second  Presbyterian 
Church,  in  which  the  first  part  of  the  exercises  was  to  be  conducted, 
was  filled  some  time  before  the  hour  fixed  for  commencing.  The 
Class  filed  into  the  church  at  about  a  quarter  before  eleven  o'clock, 
and  were  followed  by  the  orators. 

Dr.  McCosh  made  a  humorous  speech,  in  which  he  told  the  young- 
ladies  to  be  sure  never  to  marry  a  man  unless  he  had  graduated  from 
Princeton  College,  and  that  then  they  might  accept  him  and  intrust 
to  him  their  happiness  with  perfect  security.  If  it  should  be  a  '7-t 
man  that  fact  was  sufficient — he  had  nothing  more  to  say.  He  then 
introduced  the  Master  of  Ceremonies,  Chas.  IT.  Bergner,  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  delivered  the  salutatory  address.  The  rest  of  the  orators 
followed  him  in  the  order  of  the  programme : 

EXKKCISKS    IN    THE    CHTJKCH. 

Salutatory — Charles  II.  Bergner,  Pennsylvania. 

Class  Oration — Walter  D.  Nichols,  New  Jersey. 

( 'lass  Poem — William  F.  Henney,  Connecticut, 

.Memorial  Oration — Edward  M.  Deems,  New  York. 

History  of'  the  Class — Alex.  C.  Crawford,  Pennsylvania. 

Class  Ode  {sung  by  the  Class) — -Words  by  William  E   Henney, 
Connecticut, 

Prayer — By  the  President  of  the  College. 

Benediction. 

Then  we  had  an  intermission  and  some  dinner,  and  repaired  to 
the  Campus.  Our  Committee  had  arranged  tiers  of  seals,  affording 
ample  room  for  all  :  but  the  crowd  was  so  great,  and  it  was  so  im 
possible  to  keep  them  back  that  many  holders  of  tickets  were  forced 
to  stand.  The  exercises  were  once  interrupted  by  a  general  scare  and 
stampede.  Some  aspiring  youths  had  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  seats 
and  were  perched  on  the  boards  which  had  been  nailed  along  the  back 
to  prevent  people  slipping  over.  While  Jimmy  Scarlet  was  diving 
into  his  most  splendid  veins  of  sarcasm  the  top  board  broke  off  and 
several  fell  to  the  ground.  Every  one  imagined  that  the  seats  were 
giving  away,  and  was  badly  frightened  thereat.  But  partly  by  our 
Presentation  Orator's  threats,  and  his  menacings  with  a  huge  pistol. 
and  partly  by  the  exertions  of  the  Class,  order  was  restored,  and  the 
exercises  went  on. 

U 


94  HISTORY  OP  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 

CANNON    EXERCISES. 

Presentation  Address — James  Scarlet,  Pennsylvania. 

Suitable  prizes  were  given  to 

Our  Favorite,  J.  H.  Ross. 

The  Eccentric  Man,  O.  Cook. 

The  Graceful  Man,  R.  S.  Clark. 

Our  Statesman,  M.  W.  Smith. 

Our  Reckless  Man,  S.  R.  Winans. 

The  Class  Quartette,  Morris,  Stuart,  Crawford,  Williamson. 

Class  Wit,  W.  Mc.  Dauerty. 

Our  Family  Group,  Stevens,  Neese,  Westervelt,  Reid,  Ledwith, 
Parker. 

Prophets  Address — Andrew  F.  West,  Kentucky. 

Campus  Oration — Cyrus  O.  Dershimer,  Pennsylvania. 

Address  by  the  Class  President — A.  R.  Whitehill,  Pennsylvania. 

The  last  speaker  broke  a  wreath  of  flowers  and  distributed  a 
small  bouquet  to  each  of  the  Class.  It  was  commemorative  of  our 
final  separation  and  the  sundering  of  College  ties. 

The  Promenade  Concert  came  off  at  8  o'clock.  I  won't  attempt 
to  describe  it.  The  Campus  was  illuminated — all  the  girls  looked 
beautiful.  It  was  a  fine  night,  and  how  could  it  have  been  anything 
else  than  pleasant. 

Tuesday  hadn't  a  great  many  attractions  for  us.  Our  interests 
centered  in  Wednesday's  proceedings.  We  were  represented  in  the 
gymnastic  exhibition.  I  know  three  of  our  Class  who  wanted  to  go 
to  it,  but  they  cried  so  much  on  Monday  night  they  really  were  not 
able  to  get  up  early  enough. 

Wednesday  was  our  big  day.  Wre  wanted  to  clutch  that  sheep- 
skin and  then  we  would  be  satisfied.  We  Avent  in,  took  our  seats, 
listened  to  our  class-mates  speak,  heard  with,  pleasure  the  names  of 
the  fortunate  contestants  for  the  prizes,  sympathized  with  those  Avho 
had  lost,  and  finally  heard  that  the  names  of  those  who  were  to  take 
the  title  of  A.  B.  were  to  be  announced.  How  our  hearts  beat  as  we 
marched  up  to  the  platform  and  touched  the  roll  of  parchment,  Avhile 
our  friends  smiled  on  us,  and  fair  admiring  eyes  looked  down  from 
the  galleries  and  up  from  the  sides  of  the  church.  Then  Iioav  Ave 
strutted  and  swelled  back  to  our  seats  and  out  to  the  Campus.  We 
tried  not  to  look  important,  tried  hard,  but  we  actually  couldn't  help  it. 

Our  College  course  Avas  ended.  With  tearful  eyes,  sad  faces  and 
aching  hearts  Ave  prepared  to  bid  good-bye  to  well-loved  friends,  to 
look  tor  the  last  time  on  dearly  remembered  scenes,  and  to  turn  our 
backs  forever  on  dear  old  Princeton.  It  was  so  hard  to  go.  We 
lingered  from  one  train  to  another.  We  bade  good-bye  to  class- 
mates sorrowfully.  There  Avas  no  anger  in  any  breast  uoav.  We 
would  perhaps  never  meet  again.  I  stood  and  saw  the  last  train  de- 
part, then  turned  back  and  stopped  to  watch  the  fast  receding  cars. 
Evening's  mantle  softly  fell  ;  the  old  buildings  stood  out  gloomy 
masses.     Alone   that   night  I  trod  the  College  Avalks  ;  my   echoing 


HISTORY  OK  THE  CLASS  OK  '74.  95 

footsteps   alone    broke  the  dreary  stillness  ;  there  was  no  sound  of 
laughter  and  merriment.     The  place  was  indescribably  lonely. 

I  felt  like  one 

Who  treads  alone 

Some  banquet  hall  deserted, 

Whose  lights  are  lied, 

Whose  garlands  dead, 

And  all  but  him  departed. 

Mechanically  I  turned  into  the  buildings  and  knocked  at  the 
doors  of  the  rooms  where  so  many  happy  hours  had  been  spent.  No 
welcome  voice  bade  me  enter,  and  within  all  was  still.  I  turned  away 
and  fully  realized  that  Princeton  had  seen  for  the  last  time  the  class 
of  74. 


CONCLUSION. 


(as  read  ox  class-day.) 
And  now,  class-mates,  I  am  disposed  to  ask  you  what  shall  be  the 
tenor  of  our  parting  words  ?  Glad  or  sorrowful .?  Shall  we  think  only 
of  those  golden  visions  which  lure  us  on  ;  those  pleasant  hopes  which 
brighten  the  future?  Shall  we  recall  the  bright  day-dreams  which  have 
so  often  gladdened  our  hearts  when,  worn  and  weary,  Ave  took  rest 
in  reflection?  Or  shall  all  be  tinged  by  the  parting1?  Shall  the  fare- 
well trembling  on  the  lip,  the  fervent  hand-clasp,  the  tear  starting  un- 
bidden to  the  eye,  cast  a  sombre  shadow  over  our  lighter  thoughts? 
Will  the  remembrance  that  we  are  gathered  here  for  the  last  time — 
will  the  thought  that  "time  has  touched  your  lingering  circle,  Class 
of  74."  check  the  joyous  heart-throb,  tinge  the  passing  hour  with 
sorrow  ? 

Let  us  think  a  little,  class-mates,  of  the  bubbling,  boiling  mael- 
strom— of  the  restless  and  eternal  activity  into  which  we  are  soon  to 
glide  from  this  quiet  haven.     Let  us  think  of  all  we  have  to  do. 

It  is  a  good  thing  to  seek  truth  ;  a  splendid  thing  to  find  it;  a 
glorious  thing  to  make  it  our  own  forever. 

Perhaps  we  have  not  all  been  seeking  truth.  Few  have  found 
it;  few  have  risen  to  those  higher  planes  of  mental  activity,  where 
wisdom  is  the  air  they  breathe,  and  where  high  thoughts  and  noble 
resolves  stimulate  the  flagging  energies.  Be  this  as  it  may  ;  but  let 
us  all  rejoice  that  we  have  reached  this  point  in  the  ascent,  not  spent 
and  weary  as  those  Alpine  travelers  who  seek  the  summit  with  insuf- 
ficient guides,  but  strong  and  buoyant,  with  all  the  fire  of  youthful 
enthusiasm  in  our  souls,  as  those  who  under  the  happiest  auspices 
have  "scaled  the  noblest  mountain  height,'  and  who,  elated  but  not- 
satiated,  are  striving  for  still  wider  prospects.  Let  us  not  quench  the 
holy  fire  of  impulse  ;  let  it  rise  in  brilliant  and  high  mounting  flame. 
Those  wise  and  kind  instructors  who  have  led  us  to  this  halcyon 
height  stand  by  to  take  leave  of  us  to-day,  on  the  "misty  borders  of 
an  untried  land,"  with  high-pointing  finger,  and  upon  their  lips  that 
magic  word,  "Excelsior."  They  say  to  us,  let  your  lives  be  those  of 
earnest,  active  work.  Shirk  no  duty.  Press  on,  and  glorious  rewards 
will  amply  repay  you  for  years  of  toil. 

Be  your  mission  to  wield  the  pen,  the  fame  of  the  world  sweep- 
ing thought  is  not  dearly  purchased,  though  the  swift  winged  hours 
have  found  you  bending  to  your  task.  Do  you  seek  to  combat  error, 
then  let  this  our  modern  Arthur,  whose  strong  Excalibar  of  truth 
dazzles  his  foes,  be  to  you  an  example  of  high  genius  cxdtivated  by 
years  of  cloistered  study.     Press  on,  though  the  spirit  flag  and  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  74.  97 


brain  grow  dull.  Would  you  have  your  messenger-thoughts  go  out 
into  the  mighty  universe  ;  traverse  the  splendid  mausoleums  of  his- 
tory; wing  through  the  realm  of  Nature — then  press  on.  Science 
will  bring  her  writers,  philosophy  her  truths,  art  her  beauties,  and 
religion,  flinging  wide  her  jewelled  gates,  will  show  to  your  aspiring 
souls  wisdom  and  knowledge,  the  purest  and  best. 

Tress  on,  and  there  is  not  a  dream  of  your  youthful  souls,  how- 
ever bright ;  not  an  aspiration  of  your  ardent  hearts,  however  glowing, 
as  you  stand  here  to-day  in  the  dew  and  freshness  of  your  youth,  but 
shall  be  more  than  realized  in  the  harvest  of  your  eternal  satisfac- 
tion. Press  on,  and  from  your  eyrie  of  eagle  thought  you  may  look 
down  on  monarchs. 

What  if  temptations  assail  us  ? 

Ulysses,  in  his  wanderings,  having  come  near  the  abode  of  the 
Sirens,  ordered  his  sailors  to  fill  their  ears  with  wax,  and  lash  him  to 
a  mast  in  order  that  the  entrancing  music  might  not  woo  them  to  de- 
struction ;  but  the  Argonauts,  with  happier  forethought,  took  with 
them  Orpheus,  who  so  charmed  their  souls  that  the  Sirens  sang  in 
vain. 

But,  class-mates,  I  am  wearying  you;  the  time  has  come  to  say 
farewell.  I  do  not  wish  that  your  lives  may  be  all  sunshine  ;  that  no 
storms  may  gather  or  angry  tempests  rage.  But  I  hope  that  after 
each  buffet  you  may  be  found  stronger  for  the  next.  As  I  pierce  the 
mists  of  the  future  and  behold  some  of  you  renowned  and  famous, 
and  some,  alas  !  dragging  a  weary  life  to  an  unknown  grave  ;  but 
all  striving  to  do  right  for  right's  sake,  there  comes  to  me,  like  an  an- 
gel's whisper,  the  dear  old  Hebrew  benediction  "Mizpaii."  One  last 
hand-clasp,  a  fervent  "God  bless  you,  old  boy,"  and  it  is  over. 
"Fare  thee  well,  and  if  forever, 
Still  forever  fare  thee  well." 


Class  mates,  my  task  is  over.  I  know  you  will  look  leniently  on 
the  imperfections  of  the  work.  If  anything  has  been  said  to  wound 
the  feelings  of  any  one,  pray  forgive  me.  Nothing  has  been  written 
unkindly.  As  I  close  the  class  history  and  think  of  you  all  my  heart 
goes  out  in  love  to  all.  As  each  succeeding  year  goes  by  my  affec- 
tion for  you  wi,n  steadily  increase.  Pardon  the  faults,  accept  the 
thanks  for  your  honor,  and  the  prayers  for  your  successes  in  life,  of 

YOUP  HISTORIAN. 


98  HISTORY  OF  THE  CLASS  OF  '74. 


Just  as  I  put  down  my  pen  there  comes  to  me  the  sad  news  of 
poor  Hull's  death.  The  first  of  our  little  band  to  go,  let  us  rejoice  in 
the  thought  that  none  was  fitter.  He  came  in  with  us  in  Freshman 
year,  and  before  he  had  been  with  us  long  had  won  our  affection  and 
esteem  by  his  gentleness,  his  talents,  and  his  piety.  Let  us  ever 
cherish  our  college  recollections  of  him,  bright,  cheerful,  genial ;  he 
was  a  warm  friend  and  welcome  guest  wherever  he  went. 

To  the  Class  I  express  my  sympathies  for  the  loss  of  one  who 
would  have  been  so  bright  an  ornament  to  his  profession  ;  and  to  his 
mourning  family,  whose  feelings  of  sorrow  we  can  approximate,  I  ex- 
press my  deep  condolence  in  their  great  loss. 


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SUMMARY. 


Geographical  Enumeration. 

Pennsylvania 33 

New  Jersey  ....**•■ 22 

New  York 1!) 

Ohio 8 

Maryland 4 

Michigan 3 

Illinois 2 

Indiana 2 

Kentucky 2 

South  Carolina 2 

California 1 

Connecticut 1 

New  Hampshire 1 

Tennessee 1 

Virginia 1 

Wales 1 

103 


In  1857  was  born 1 


Denominational  Preferences. 

Presbyterian 73 

Episcopalian 12 

Methodist 4 

Reformed  Presbyterian 3 

Lutheran 2 

United  Presbyterian 1 

Congregationalist 1 

Baptist 1 

Heterodox 6 

Grand   Total 103 

Prospective  Occupation. 

Law 36 

Theology 31 

Business 7 

Medicine 5 

Journalism 2 

Banking 1 

Engineering 1 

Dubious 20 

Aggregate  age,  2.24s  ys.  3  mos.  20  d's 

Average  age !$2  yrs.  16  days. 

Class  birthday June  6th,  1852. 

Aggregate  weight 14,086^  lbs. 

Average  weight 138  1-lOth  lbs. 

Aggregate  height 57;5  ft.  3^  in. 

Average  height 5  ft.  7*  in. 


In  1855  were    " 

i; 

In  1854     "       " 

15 

In  1853     "       " 

?,fi 

In  1852     "       " 

17 

In  1851      "       " 

.    10 

In  1800     "       " 

10 

In  1849     "       " 

4 

In  1848     "       " 

5 

In  1847     "       " 

3 

In  1840  was     " 

1 

1853 

In  January  were 

born 

!> 

In  February  " 

" 

8 

11 

In  April          '• 
In  May            " 
In  June           " 

a 

4 

a 

a 

10 

In  July            " 
In  August       " 

a 

0 

a 

0 

In  Septemb.   " 

a 

8 

it 

11 

In  Novemb.    " 

« 

10 

In  Decemb.    " 

•'       

10 

Favored  Months,  March  and  Oct. 

EX-MEMBERS. 

Anderson. 

Kerk. 

Badeau. 

Koe. 

Bennett. 

Leeds. 

Blaney. 

Logan. 

Bradford. 

Michael. 

Carson. 

Milbukn. 

Carter. 

Moore. 

Chidsey. 

Osborne. 

Clark. 

Rankin. 

COMEGYS. 

Robinson. 

Dampman. 

SaILMHKY. 

Dickey. 

Sayer. 

Eden. 

S(  ( ITT. 

Fin  lay. 

Shaw. 

Form  an. 

II.  Simpson. 

FlUSMUTH. 

S.  Simpson. 

Gordon. 

H.  Smith. 

Graham. 

E.  Stewart 

Hamel. 

Sutton. 

HendricksON. 

Wallace. 

[rby. 

1  AM  A  DA. 

1  KYI NO. 

Yamaoka. 

